For one of the seminal classics of modern theater, Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's "The Threepenny Opera" has a surprisingly poor record on stage. Productions often have trouble balancing Brecht's fierce Marxist critique with his wicked sense of play, and frequently miss the proper style for Weill's scorching, gorgeous score. Happily, director Sean Graney's smashing production for The Hypocrites evades virtually all of the pitfalls, and makes for an exceptional evening of theater.
The production is staged environmentally in Steppenwolf's Garage space, on and around two giant tables. Adventurous theatergoers should arrive early to sit at the tables, while bleacher seats are provided for those who want a safer view. Graney uses every inch of the space, creating an exciting, dynamic staging that keeps the audience engaged. However, crucially, the staging always bolsters the text. While some words are lost, Brecht's incendiary look at exploitation, poverty, and crime always comes through clearly, and the connection between Brecht's ideas and the story of criminals, beggars and prostitutes in Victorian London is always clear.
Weill's combustible score is also generally well served. While the lack of an orchestra is felt, Timothy Splain's superb playing makes the most of the piano orchestration. The voices in the cast are very strong overall, with Jennifer Coombs' Polly Peachum and Lise "Kat" Evans' Lucy Brown being standouts. In addition to Coombs and Evans, highlights in the excellent ensemble include a volcanic Kurt Ehrmann (to be replaced by Michael Pacas September 25) as J. J. Peachum and a blowsy Sara Sevigny as his boozy wife. The only flaw in the cast is Gregory Hardigan's Macheath, who shows the menace but not the smoothness; he has the knife, but not the kid gloves.
Still, despite this flaw, this is a vitally exciting production of an iconic play, and it must be seen.
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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