3Penny (review & SYNOPSIS) and Revivals Discussion

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:00pm

(Synopsis a few posts down)

REVIEW:

I saw 3Penny Opera last night from the front row.

I don't feel like reviewing it completely because, as Nellie McKay said at the stage door, they have been changing it constantly. She was asking people what they thought and was very sweet. Alas, I digress.

The cast is just absolutely magnificent. For those who said they had trouble understanding people - especially Jim Dale - I say bullocks! I had no trouble understanding anyone - not even Alan (who uses his Scottish accent). The one problem was that the lyrics were often times cumbersome, combined with accents, it makes it tricky. But I will get to that later.

Cyndi Lauper is just F-ing amazing. She sings the Moritat, entitled "Songs of the Extraordinary Crimes of Mac the Knife." During the a capella verse at the beginning a cellphone went off and Lauper stopped singing and said very dryly (as was the tone of the song) "Would somoene get the phone." The audience laughed. And she kept on singing and all of a sudden there was an eruption of applause.

Jim Dale was, if not anything, a standout in the cast. He was goofy, fun, and everytime he walked off stage I wanted him to do an encore. His act two Useless Song ("The Song of Inadequacy of Human Striving") was Hairspray meets Sondheim - or something. As he danced about the stage, light bubbles around. He even, for the reprise, did some ball room dancing.

Ana Gasteyer has finally arrived! I know a lot of people complained about her acting - it was a little too New Yawker. And I agree. But look at her costume! It's like what Jennifer Coolidge wears in "Legally Blonde." I think the accent fit the character. I actually expected her to be funnier - but once she sang (and when she sang - she SANG) nothing else mattered. She opened (sort of opened) the second act with "The Ballad of the Overwhelming Power of Sex" and was fantastic.

Brian Charles Rooney as Lucy was another standout. His "Lucy's Aria" was probably one of the best performed numbers (and best staged numbers) of the show. When he first came out the people behind me were asking if it was a girl or a guy dressed as a girl. I think they got their answer though. **SPOILER** Since I was sitting on the side, front row, I got a peep show. I wasn't expecting it to be - just - there. **END SPOILER**

Nellie McKay. Not for nothing, and I have said it at least twice already, but she was just a knockout. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. And I still can picture her performing. She isn't the normal type of Polly, but she happens to be beyond fantastic. There were a few moments of comedy she missed, but all in all she was breathtaking. Her "No" Song (formerly called the Barbara Song) was just so perfect and her "Pirate Jenny" was different - but enjoyable. The act ends with her singing "Polly's Song" under falling snow. It was a beautiful moment in the show.

Finally, I think, Alan Cumming. He often had Emcee-ness in him, especially when he was in the Brothel, and had "sexual" moments. But, overall, he seemed to break free and create a very new, very different, MacHeath. If anything, he definitely brought out Mack's darkest side. He is definitely a great person to lead the cast.

Wallace Shawn's translation bugged me, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it was that, besides some cumbersome lyrics, it didn't seem quite as raunchy as Elliot's direction. People said that the new show is pretty gritty. Having been used to the Donamr recording, I thought it was much more risqué. An old man behind me complained Shawn's translation was "no Blitzstein." I have to agree - but more for the positive. The sexual and impovershed grittiness of the new translation is somewhere between Donamr and 54 Broadway, closer to the Donamr.

Elliot's direction, I must admit, was quite interesting - and kept me enthralled throughout the whole show. I feel there were some missed moments, but can't say exactly what they were. The biggest thing with the direction, something that could have been a great idea but somehow felt awkward was during "The Ballad of the Happy Life" (Easy Life) sung by MacHeath in his jail cell. Not to spoil it but "modern" inventions are noted as they are "brought out" by Mrs. Peachum (Ana happened to do a tremendous job during this scene). I feel like the thought of it was to get a huge laugh from the audience - but the audience only chuckled. Another moment, that the audience did not seem to react to well to, was the "sing along" during the ARMY SONG.

The costumes were quite sexy and raucnhy having actors in thing from underwear to, well, spandex. Most of the time actors were baring some part of their body.

The sets and lights were also fantastic. I happened to love the very opening number with all the neon signes lit up and the cast motionless in front of them.

I truly believe 3Penny is one of the better shows AND productions on Broadway right now. With a little more work, it will be beyond fantastic.

REVIVALS

I wanted to get some feedback on what people think of the revivals.

For me, I think all three revivals - Pajama Game, Sweeney, and 3Penny - are completely fantastic.

While Pajama Game is a feel-good show, I don't think the revival does anything spectacular. And not because Kathleen Marshall failed, or anything. Just because there isn't much to do with The Pajama Game. Not that I think it has a shot at winning, but if it did win I will say I wouldn't be upset. I think people would be more upset if Sweeney or 3Penny didn't win, than if Pajama Game did win. (If that makes sense)

Sweeney is a fantastic new approach at a "classic" show. Productions of Sweeney usually seem to follow the Hal Prince staging to some extent - so John Doyle's production was great. I have quips with it - it sometimes feels cluttered and the ending falls short, but overall it is a great production. But if Doyle keeps directing this way - with actor/musicians - as he did with COMPANY, I think he will find the novelty will wear off (if it hasn't already).

3Penny is definitely going to polarize people - especially considering the Brechtians' view of the show. The revival sort of does (or tries to do) what MacDonald and Sam's (DONMAR) version of the show did. It tries to recreate the setting and the time. I personally think of the three revivals it was the most successful and most enjoyable. And would love to see it win.



Updated On: 4/2/06 at 07:00 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:13pm

I still don't get 3Penny. What's it about? Is there an actual plot? It just confuses me, but has me so very interested at the same time.

I think a lot of people like Sweeney, but at the same time I felt that the stark staging made it really hard to follow. I stil don't understand some of the major plot points, but overall I thought it was a brillant production. I think Sweeney will most likely win because it did what revivals should do, it put a new spin on a classic. Revivals shouldn't just be carbon copies of the originals.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:15pm

3penny is about a criminal who marries a girl from 'high society.' Her parents don't want her to marry him, so they find a way to set him up and sent him to jail.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:28pm

oh okay, thanks yankee. Still i'm not sure how all the different people are worked into this cast, but the show sounds cool. I can't wait for the recording.

Why are the song titles so "interesting." I'm not familiar with the Brech type stuff.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:31pm

Alan Cumming - Macheath, the Criminal
Nellie McKay - Polly, his bride
Ana Gasteyer, Jim Dale - Her unhappy parents
Cyndi Lauper - the whore whom Ana Gasteyer gets to set Mac up

The song titles are directly translated from the original German, hense the wordyness.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:43pm

Since Yankee sad the basic plot, I will try going through the revival and writing a synopsis:

Taken down. Updated On: 4/2/06 at 07:43 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:45pm

Very nice. BSoBW2, have they changed the ending that I detested (with the almost naked guy on the neon horse)?

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:46pm

Well, you will just have to wait and find out.

It's called Deus Ex Machina - Brecht uses it a lot. And the naked guy is Tiger Brown.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:47pm

I saw the show last week and understand all the Brechtian devices. However, I thought that the almost-nakedness was completely out of place and unnecessary. Have him clothed. Unless Scott was trying to show Macheath's bisexuality and his close 'friendship' to Tiger... Updated On: 4/2/06 at 07:47 PM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:49pm

I guess a bare penis and Alan Cumming putting his hand down a guy's underpants weren't enough.


Updated On: 4/2/06 at 07:49 PM

[Harpo]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:58pm

Thanks for the great review, BSo. I'm going to try and see it at the end of month. I've seen Pajama Game and Sweeney and agree with what you wrote. I've been very impressed with the revivals,especially Sweeney. I saw it with Angela Lansbury and liked it then, but this version completely captivated me.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:00pm

Deus Ex Machina --- what's that mean? Are there any books on the Brechtian style? I'm sorta interested in this.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:04pm

the Deux Ex Machina effect is when an unexpected character is added into a drama to resolve it. In this case (spoilers), right as Macheath is to be hanged, Tiger Brown comes in on horseback announcing that he's been spared.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:10pm

There are literally HUNDREDS of books on Brechtian theory.

"Deus ex machina" is a theatrical term that goes back thousands of years to Greek theatre. It literally means "god from a machine" and refers to a sudden improbable introduction of a character or event that acts to resolve a scene or the entire play itself. It's typically unmotivated and inorganic to the play up till that point (in Greek theatre, when a plot seemed complicated and unfixable, suddenly Apollo or some other god would enter on chariot and resolve all of the conflicts in the play and give it a happy ending). In this production of Threepenny, something similar happens at the end -- which is how Brecht wanted the play to end, reminding the audience that it was all "just a play" and there is no need for a tragic ending (as there would be in real life).

Updated On: 4/2/06 at 08:10 PM

[TinyDancer]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:12pm

Updated On: 9/14/06 at 08:12 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:12pm

oh, interesting....

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:14pm

For instance, the dragon-drawn chariot at the end of "MEDEA" that carries her away from Jason to "safety."

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:19pm

where does Brechtian come from? the term I mean.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:21pm

The name Brecht, as in Bertolt Brecht, as in the author of THREEPENY.

[Color and Light]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:22pm

I was at that same show as well, BSoBW! Loved Cyndi getting on the guy for turning off the cellphone, and I thought that the whole cast had no weak links whatsoever. I saw it *right* after I saw Lestat, so maybe that's why I was so particularly fond of Threepenny - even though the translation wasn't the best.

My personal favorites were Jim Dale, and strike me down if Brian Charles Rooney didn't bring down the house with "Lucy's Aria". Awesome. Also loved Nellie McKay - I don't get some of the criticisms I've read about her. I thought she was great! ... Actually, I really enjoyed the whole freaking cast. Died during Alan's "Would you SHUT. THE. F**K. UP!"

All in all, a very enjoyable night!

Updated On: 4/2/06 at 08:22 PM

[LorelaiGilmore]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:23pm

Off Topic, but BSo, what would you say would be the youngest possible age to see the show(yes, future NYC trip planning is going on here).

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:26pm

I don't know about ages. I think it is more based on maturity level - if you can handle two men kissing, semi-naked bodies, and one naked man...not to mention the skimpy outfits worn by the female cast.

I would rate the show R (or X/NC-17).

If that helps.


Updated On: 4/2/06 at 08:26 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:27pm

There are strong warnings at the box office that the production is not for children.

[Color and Light]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:30pm

There's a lot of bad language, some nudity, a lot of sexual innuendo and the hoo hah, and it's got a buttload of dark themes. It all depends on how mature you are.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 8:34pm

I've never heard the word "Turd" used so much in one three-hour time.