Three Penny Opera (NYC) - Review
averyda...@yahoo.com
Cindy Lauper, and Nellie McKay at the Roundabout theatre in New York
City this Saturday (6/17/2006), and here are my impressions.
While the individual performances were very good, especially Jim
Dale's, all other aspects of this interpretation went from uninspired
to abysmal. From the songs to the scenery, I felt like I was watching
two hours of some bad inside joke. The original version of the play
worked because a sinister group was presented against the background of
innocents and simplicity. This version failed, not because of black on
black, but because of its unnecessary descent into obnoxious lyric
changes, insulting stage design, and insipid plot changes.
The stage production was obviously designed for including the audience
in the mechanics of the musical, which makes sense as the title
implies. But the techniques employed served better as insults to
intelligence. The set design consisted primarily of giant neon signs
(that buzzed into the sound system), a giant mirror reflecting the
backs of the actors and the faces audience, a descending jail cell, a
snow machine, and one totally out of place backdrop that looked like it
belonged in a 1930s rendition of Romeo and Juliet. In one scene, the
words "ABANDONED WAREHOUSE" shinning in ten foot letters were replaced
by "WAREHOUSE" when the actors entered the stage. These signs looked
cheap rather than their intended effect of simple and sparse.
Obnoxiously, an LED sign displayed the name of the song as each number
began, and even worse the performers introduced each acts by announcing
them. These props certainly hit us over the head to remind us that this
is a musical but in a way that took us out of the fantasy of the
production.
The lyrics were changed in every song some to include crass phrases and
toilet humor. I'm as much of a fan of toilet humor as anyone, but only
when it's not childish and is in the right context. As jokes they fell
flat, and performed in the context musical theatre they were out of
place. "F*ck," "p*ssy," "d*ck," "v*gina," "p*nis," "c*ck," are just
some of the words placed in the lyrics. The insertion of such words, as
well as crude gestures, were simply idiotic. They didn't add anything
musical nor artistic to the production.
Even the staple song "Mack the Knife" had word changes. The big opening
number began a capella and grew into a dirge. The vocal performances
were all excellent but the arrangements sucked any life out of the
songs. They were so forgettable that I can't remember a single melody
other than the centerpiece, and only because I knew it going in. Too
much of the accompaniment were held chords, and most of it was
supporting material that never broke out on its own. One song was
accompanied by the piano player using samples of a solo cello on his
keyboard, while the cellist sat three feet from him twiddling his
thumbs. The vocal mix was so poor that the difficult task of
understanding the lyrics proved more than its worth.
In one ridiculous cast change, the role of the warden's daughter was
played by a man (Brian Charles Rooney, who sang in a beautiful soprano
voice). But he proved his manhood to the audience when flashing the
strap-on he was wearing under his dress. In another pointless
alteration, the brothel scene included men on women, and men on men
humping in pink neon bathing suits and wearing pink neon lipstick, all
done in that 'Broadway musical' way. Then there was the ridiculous long
drawn out man-on-man open mouth kiss between Cumming and some other
guy. In case we weren't sure if was truly a male, Cumming pulled out
the front of his tight pink trunks, took a peak down them, and
grinningly nodded to the audience. There was also more crotch grabbing
than Michael Jackson with jock itch. An actor playing a beggar walked
off the stage, cup in hand, and approached an old woman in an isle.
When the woman didn't put any money in the cup, the beggar yelled
"f*uck you lady!" There were no language decency warnings as you would
expect with television shows and there was no age restriction as you
would expect in movies with the same language.
I got the impression I was supposed to be charmed by Alan Cumming, the
mohawk sporting street thug. Was I supposed to feel sympathy for his
character's thieving, raping, cheating, murdering self as he waits out
his appointment with the hangman's rope? Did I care if his idiotic
bride lost the man she loved? Did I care if the moronic parents lost
their charmless daughter to pack of transgender hoodlums? No. A death
scene would have brought me some satisfaction, but in that I was
denied. Another addition to the plot was the messenger. A man wearing
nothing but a gold bathing suit, gold boots, and gold glitter descend
onto the stage riding a neon horse to deliver some royal decree that
freed Mack the killer, rapist, and thief. This deliberately artificial
plot-point was lost amongst all the others. In the end, I understood
some vague message about poor people being oppressed by the rich. As
the house lights turned up un understood that this vague message was
directed at us, the hapless victims of a bad inside dirty joke. Was
this designed to inspire me to give to charity?
There were enough laughs at these dumb lines that I stopped thinking
the audience was just being polite, started thinking the audience was
being far too forgiving, then ultimately though I just don't get what
was going on. But after one bow, (with the house lights already on),
the cast walked off the stage through the isles never to return for
more.
Is this what New York Theatre entertainment has become?
~ Avery
Mark Cipra
[snip]
>
> it belonged in a 1930s rendition of Romeo and Juliet. In one scene,
> the words "ABANDONED WAREHOUSE" shinning in ten foot letters were
> replaced by "WAREHOUSE" when the actors entered the stage. These
> signs looked cheap rather than their intended effect of simple and
> sparse. Obnoxiously, an LED sign displayed the name of the song as
> each number began, and even worse the performers introduced each acts
> by announcing them. These props certainly hit us over the head to
> remind us that this is a musical but in a way that took us out of the
> fantasy of the production.
In fairness, this stuff is very much in the spirit of the original, and at
least some of it's in the text - you're supposed to be reminded from time to
time that you're watching performers put on a performance. (Brecht was
always cuing songs with stuff like "I'm going to beat the snot out of you,
Johnny, but first I want you to understand a little more about the
relationship between capitalism and communism ...").
But as you weren't enjoying the rest of the production very much (and I
think I'd probably agree with you), I can see how it might have distanced
you a little too much :)
[snip]
--
Mark Cipra
"I peel back those magnetic ribbons on people's cars that say 'God
bless America' and snip out the blank space and the 'b'. Probably this
is wrong of me."
Play Indiana Jones! Hide the "ark" in my address to reply by email.
Noel...@aol.com
as you would
> expect with television shows and there was no age restriction as you
> would expect in movies with the same language.
Unlike Avenue Q, which warns against bringing children.
Thank you for an informative and interesting review.
Newport
From: Noel...@aol.com
Avenue Q warns against bringing children.
------------------------------------
The warning should be expanded.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
chromolume
> Obnoxiously, an LED sign displayed the name of the song as each number
> began, and even worse the performers introduced each acts by announcing
> them. These props certainly hit us over the head to remind us that this
> is a musical but in a way that took us out of the fantasy of the
> production.
As Mark Cipra rightfully began to point out, this was the intent of the
original playwright (Brecht, unless one agrees that is indeed was
actually Elizabeth Hauptmann, and was only attributed to Brecht. But
that's another topic altogether.) Originally, each song was heralded by
an onstage title. Some of the recordings of Threepenny have an
announcer's voice doing the vocal equivalent. I've seen productions
where announcements were used instead of signs, or both methods were
used together. The musical Chicago borrowed the same device for a
similar ironic take on the artificiality of musical numbers.
> Even the staple song "Mack the Knife" had word changes.
Of course it did, Liebchen. The original was in German. The most famous
English translation (the one made famous by Bobby Darin, Ella
Fitzgerald, et al) was done by Marc Blitzstein, for the "classic" 50's
off-Broadway production, but that's far from the only English
translation out there.
> One song was
> accompanied by the piano player using samples of a solo cello on his
> keyboard, while the cellist sat three feet from him twiddling his
> thumbs.
Ok, now this I grant you, is odd. Most productions of Threepenny leave
the cello part out (along with some other instruments as well), because
it is indeed very small (it was one of several instruments played by
the guitar player in the original 1928 production - the original score
has a number of odd doublings like this, written specifically for the
talents of the original band) - but why the pianist would be playing a
"solo cello" part (of which there is none in the original score), I
don't know. Maybe that wasn't supposed to be a cello sound?
> Another addition to the plot was the messenger. A man wearing
> nothing but a gold bathing suit, gold boots, and gold glitter descend
> onto the stage riding a neon horse to deliver some royal decree that
> freed Mack the killer, rapist, and thief. This deliberately artificial
> plot-point was lost amongst all the others.
The messenger is no addition to the plot. His costume design certainly
is, but the character (usually played by the same actor who plays Tiger
Brown) has always been there.
BTW - I haven't seen the production, but I am a huge Weill fan. So I'm
no shill for the production - just trying to make sure the facts are in
place...:-)
briancharlesrooney
I am sorry you didn't like the show - but the sexual
changes were made to make certain points. Why do
3Penny unless you update it and make it relevant to
what you want to say? This director decided to make
comments that had largely to do with the way our city
and the world at large deals with sexuality.
Anyway, thanks for posting your review. It's always
great to read an audience member's opinions :)
-brian
(Lucy Brown)
Mark Cipra
In fact, in the Bentley translation it says:
*****
(On the board is written:)
THE ARRIVAL OF THE MOUNTED MESSENGER
THIRD THREEPENNY FINALE
Chorus: Hark, who comes? / The Royal Messenger riding comes!
(Riding high, BROWN enters as the messenger.)
*****
Given the conceit of this production, the costume seems appropriate.
>
> BTW - I haven't seen the production, but I am a huge Weill fan. So I'm
> no shill for the production - just trying to make sure the facts are
> in place...:-)
--
Mark Cipra
How nice - and brave! - of you to comment.
For what it's worth, most of the bellyaching in this forum, mine included,
was about the director's concept, which we felt did a disservice to the
original (many of us, not being near NYC, haven't seen the production). For
the most part, the performers and performances have been treated kindly.
And I see that, in the reviews which managed to get past the casting/nudity
issue, you received very good notices. Congratulations!
Newport
From: daup...@hotmail.com (briancharlesrooney) This director decided
to make comments that had largely to do with the way our city and the
world at large deals with sexuality.
A concept rejected by most critics. I also read that some Tony committee
members were quite unhappy at having to nominate a production that so
misfired and misused a talented cast.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
averyda...@yahoo.com
> I wasn't wearing a "strap-on" - that was 100% me.
> (Lucy Brown)
Mark Cipra wrote:
> How nice - and brave! - of you to comment.
And how brave of you to flash 100% you to a theatre audience! lol
~ Avery
averyda...@yahoo.com
> I wasn't wearing a "strap-on" - that was 100% me.
NY Times reports a few days later, thirteen men arrested for flashing
on the subway:
<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/24/nyregion/24harass.html>
They got it for free, I had to pay for it. I'd rather have done
neither.