NY Review: 'The Threepenny Opera'

I have no doubt that it's possible to craft a snarling, incendiary rendition of "The Threepenny Opera," but that's not what director Lenny Leibowitz delivers in this Marvell Rep production, currently running in repertory with Arnold Schnitzler's "Professor Bernhardi." Intentionally or not, Leibowitz has turned this "Threepenny" into one of the most enjoyable musicals I've seen in a while.

The fun—yes, fun—begins with a man singing "The Ballad of Mack the Knife" on a toilet and doesn't let up until three short hours later. Leibowitz doesn't stint on the epic theater trappings—banners, direct address to the audience, songs that interrupt the action—but here they come across like the idiosyncrasies of a cranky but beloved uncle rather than devices intended to instigate critical thinking. Roll over in your grave, Bertolt Brecht; this "Threepenny" is an accessible entertainment.

Based on Elizabeth Hauptmann's adaptation of John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera," "The Threepenny Opera" details the fate of the notorious criminal Macheath after he marries Polly Peachum, the daughter of the man who controls London's begging racket. Peachum and his wife are outraged by this "theft" and persuade Jenny, one of Macheath's former lovers, to betray him to the police. Macheath escapes with the aid of Lucy Brown, another former lover, but is arrested again when cavorting with yet another woman. On the verge of being hanged, he is saved by the arrival of a highly improbable deus ex machina in the form of a reprieve from Queen Victoria.

As Macheath, the strong-voiced Matt Faucher opts for suaveness over menace, and his vulnerability brings us perilously close to feeling warmth for the adventurer. As his three lovers, Emma Rosenthal (Polly), Ariela Morgenstern, (Jenny), and Kelly Pekar (Lucy) bring unique personalities and beautiful singing to their roles. Chad Jennings gives us a funny Tiger Brown, the feckless chief of police, while Angus Hepburn's Peachum is suitably oleaginous. Joy Franz demonstrates the range of her talents with a zestfully immoral Mrs. Peachum.

Tijana Bjelajac's bare-bones set, distinguished chiefly by a pair of ragged curtains that the cast opens and closes, situates us in a proper Brechtian beggarland. Unfortunately, the band sounded out of tune on the night I attended the show, doing an injustice to Kurt Weill's gorgeous, idiosyncratic score.

Michael Feingold's translation adds just enough modern references to take any museum stuffiness out of the dialogue. I find it heartening that New York's finest theater critic dives into the creative pool, rather than merely making cracks about the form of other swimmers. Criticism in this city would be better informed if other reviewers would follow his lead and do theater before doing it in.

Presented by Marvell Rep at TBG Theatre, 312 W. 36th St., 3rd floor, NYC. Feb. 12–29. Schedule varies. (212) 352-3101, (866) 811-4111, www.theatermania.com, or www.marvellrep.com.