Three Penny Flop

I just saw Three Penny Opera at Studio 54 and I cannot believe how bad it was from start to finish. First off Cyndi and Anna are good, but the show itself is so incredibly boring and bad that you over look them. The sets, which there are non of are boring as well and the costumes do not make sense in anyway. And Alan, who I'm a fan of cannot sing this material and he is far from convincing in the role. I am shocked that Roundabout has the gull to present this and to charge to see it, shame on them. The directing is a joke. The whole production comes across like a bad high school presentation. There is so much going on and none of it makes sense. It's not that it's high art, it just bad theater.

hi. can you be a little more specific about alan cummings? is the material too heavy for his voice? what's the prob.

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did you know anything about the show going in?

do you know about Brechtian form?

just asking, becuase I want to know where you are coming from with your point of view.

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Okay guys, lets start a pool. How many more "3peny oppersaa is soooooooo BaD i Am telllungb uuuuu" thread come in before official opening.

Betting is now open to the public.

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I'm certain that there will be many...it just upsets me to think that young people are going to see this show primarily because Alan Cumming and Ana Gasteyer are in it, not for the fact that it is a classic musical with some pretty nifty themes.

I have nothing against young people attending it for the sake of seeing Cumming and Gasteyer--but I do have a problem with them bashing the show just because it isn't like CABARET or WICKED.

Spell check....check it out.....it's fabulous.

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if the show is good and has the ring of truth to it, young people will like it very well --even if it's not WICKED. did you read the thread about the little boy, who on seeing SWEENEY turned to his sister and said, "I don't think MAMMA MIA is so great anymore." (after he had been obsessed with the abba show)

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I know people who are seeing this show who range from complete theatrical novices to experts on Brecht and their reactions are all over the map.

Every opinion is valid. However...

I think we need to stop criticizing posters who don't like this production becuse they *clearly* "do not" understand Brecht's intentions, because some of the most vitriolic statements I've heard about Elliot's staging has come from people who understand completely brechtian concepts and think Elliot has failed miserably in his attempts to capture them.

Conversely, I've known people who know nothing about Weill or Brecht and thought it was a fabulous evening of theatre.

I think this show is going to continue to polarize audiences and most definitely critics and you know what? I think Brecht and Weill probably couldn't be more pleased at that...

Updated On: 3/28/06 at 03:02 PM

I used to shampoo with Brecht

it's a show, not a term paper. the director must entertain. the audience doesn't have to "understand" brechtian staging concepts -- they have to be touched by the show -- or alientated by the show -- maybe the director wants the audience to be uncomfortable.

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Guys, did anyone bet on 1?










Any takers?

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I haven't seen the show but just a note to the Poster,
you were so close to something funny if you just tried harder... why not a post titled "Three Penny Flopera" ?
just saying

Amen.

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