'National Theatre Live: The Threepenny Opera' (2016)
Opening thoughts: The Season 8 (2016-2017) National Theatre Live productions were mostly of a very solid standard. The only disappointment really being 'Salome', with 'No Man's Land' and 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead' being especially excellent. 'The Threepenny Opera' is one of Brecht and Weill's most best known works and justifiably so, with its great music ("Mack the Knife" being one of the most famous older popular standards), memorable characters and story. Benjamin Britten's operatic take on the story is to me great too, but there is a preference for Brecht and Weill's and namely for being more familiar with it.
National Theatre Live's production of 'The Threepenny Opera' is very well done and darkly and uncompromisingly raw, which is appropriate for a story that is far from sunshine and daisies. It is not a masterpiece, though it had all the ingredients to be, but it has a lot of masterful qualities about it (such as the performances). Apart from one staging touch, the approach to the material that is taken is done very well, intelligently and entertainingly without falling into distaste.
Bad things: It is not a flawless production. Macheath's disability imitation for my tastes was too cruel and in bad taste, even for a nastier than usual 'The Threepenny Opera'.
Occasionally the orchestra was slightly too loud.
Good things: Mostly the balance was not an issue and the orchestra sound great (especially the brass, which is great as they play a key role in the score), with lots of energy while also giving the complex score depth. All the wonderful music is performed with a lot of energy and emotion, as well as conducted with force and grace. The production values are sparse but suitably gritty, without going too far on the grimness or austerity, and atmospheric. Apart from one staging touch, the stage direction manages to be tasteful while excelling at bringing out the darker, nastier with a lot of punch edge of a story that has justice and criminality as its themes, without going too far and it actually gelled very well and mirrored the jagged nature of the story equally so.
Had no trouble following the drama, which is always cohesive and interest is not lost. The prison confrontation being Lucy and Polly is the dramatic (and comedic) highlight. The satire is biting and the broadness of it doesn't become vulgar and the modern British popularism jabs are chilling, boldly vicious yet as scarily relevant now as it was then. All the performances are splendid, Rory Kinnear (acquitting himself well with the music) playing one of music's most iconic anti-heroes with swagger and deceptive charm. Rosalie Craig is ravishing as Polly, with "Pirate Jenny" being a major music highlight. The Peachums are robustly and eerily characterized and Debbie Kurup is a confident Lucy.
Closing thoughts: Concluding, raw and filthy and very good with it.
8/10.
