By Kyle Osborne
For many of us, the only thing we know about The Threepenny Opera is the song “Mack the Knife”—and even then we mostly know it as the swinging, lounge-y version that was a #1 hit for Bobby Darin in 1959. (I happen to remember the bastardized version “Mac Tonight” from the late 80’s McDonalds commercials, more on that later)
Photo by Margot Schulman
In Signature Theatre’s current production of Brecht’s 1928 musical, that famous tune is sung in a way we’ve never heard it; the always brilliant Natascia Diaz, clad in a bustier and a red Ringmaster’s jacket sings those familiar notes at an ultra-slow tempo, like a Torch Singer, singing with regret and with a warning. Suddenly, we are actually hearing the words for the first time. This song isn’t about a swinging cat from Vegas—no, this is a song about a rapist and a murderer by the name of Macheath. Holy crap! The air is so thick with anticipation, you could cut it with a…
And now it all makes sense—the song is a prologue, telling us that we’re about to meet a charming, murdering, knife wielding psychopath. The fact that he is utterly charming only adds to the fun. He is parts Manson and parts Fagin, leading a band of beggars, tramps and thieves. He’s also about to get married (again).
Mitchell Jarvis (who was deliciously depraved as Frank N. Furter in Studio Theatre’s Rocky Horror Show) displays the definitive shit-eating grin between temper tantrums and puffs on an electronic cigarette. Jarvis gets us to dig him without cheating, for we are never in doubt that he’d sell us down the river in a heartbeat, even as he patted us gently on the shoulder.
His “fiancée” just happens to be the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peachum, the crooked couple who serve as pimps to the street beggars in contemporary London (yes, things have been greatly updated since Brecht/Weill’s show debuted in German). Young Polly Peachum (Erin Driscoll with great comedic flair and actual operatic singing chops) is about to give her hand in marriage to the oily Macheath, but her parents will do anything to thwart the nuptials. There is no honor among thieves, but we do hope that ol’ Mack The Knife will prevail against the mean Mom and Pop, who are strikingly well played by Bobby Smith and Donna Migliaccio, though an early scene featuring Smith goes on too long, temporarily slowing things down before full cruising altitude has been achieved.
photo by Margot Schulman
There’s a reason why the songs (music by Kurt Weill) aren’t exactly beloved, nor as well-known as the tunes of most revivals that are staged these days: they’re not exactly hummable, full of dissonant Oom-Pah-Pah’s and minor notes. But the numbers excel at keeping the narrative moving forward and, more often than not, contain laugh-out-loud lines. And speaking of laughing–Rick Hammerly as Lucy Brown, one of Macheath’s former flings, vamps it up with great timing, virtually picking up the scene and walking out the exit with it. The audience roars with delight.
Erin Driscoll as Polly, Rick Hammerly as Lucy
The Threepenny Opera is awesomely naughty and as relevant as ever. The fact that this work of art can continue to make a point, while occasionally forcing you to blow soda out of your nose in laughter? Now that’s just good storytelling.
The Threepenny Opera plays through June 1, 2014 at Signature Theatre —4200 Campbell Avenue in Arlington, Virginia. For tickets, call the box office at (703) 820-9771, or purchase them online at: http://www.signature-theatre.org
Watch Bobby Darin’s “Mack The Knife”
Here’s The 1987 McDonald’s Commercial (seriously, it’s still catchy)
Here is Bobby Smith as Mr. Peachum in the Signature Theatre Production