Opera for three pennies

What a story, magical and moving — a gangster environment, an exotic thrill of crime in the moonlight over Soho! This most famous German art to date also owes its worldwide success to the fact that under its shameless humor and sensual music hides evil, a deep sociopathy that is easy to overlook. But when, like the effects of the drug, the theatrical illusion, the created reality, the plot matrix disappears, we begin to look at all these murderers, whores, fraudsters, rapists, as if it were our own reflection in the mirror. It turns out that the scum from the margins of society is, in fact, its dark core, in which there is a fierce struggle for position: devouring each other, the incessant search for scapegoats and the pleasure derived at someone else's expense.

The European theater of illusion has lost its strength. Just as Brecht's sexy gangsters enter the scene from the margins of society, so increasingly the crisis born on the fringes of decent society is beginning to take over our beautiful bourgeois theatre. Capitalism, which grew into a kleptocracy and then into a war economy, sneers at the romantic belief that contracts and trade would protect the world from greed and violence, because they are, in fact, its nature.

Mackie Messer (Polish: knife or Majcher) has transformed into Macki MeZer and adorns his tanks with this “Z”.

Ersan Mondtag goes deep into the nightmare that lurks beneath the striking surface of this extraordinary art. A nightmare pervasive in a world where 97% of goods are owned by 3% of society. Where ordinary people are exploited by dictators, treated like a commodity, intimidated. Where philanthropists prepare bunkers for the apocalypse, and the system, like a zombie, would like to devour everything. Mondtag presents this horror so vividly and darkly that it is hoped that we will wake up in amazement and see ourselves as Brecht never ceased to believe in: not as competitors fighting for position and victims of crime.

But as human beings helping each other.

Thomaspeter Goergen

Note: The show is for adult viewers only. The play deals with the theme of war. There are scenes of violence and nudity. Artificial blood is used in the performance.

Issued with permission from Suhrkamp Verlag AG and Universal Edition AG.

Krzysztof Zawadzki evidently plays a role, from which pleasure is also given to the audience. Moreover, it is difficult for the actor to be surprised, because this attitude to the character is imposed on him by the costume and the characterization. Zawadzki's Peachum is deceptively reminiscent (...) of Jack Sparrow from “Pirates of the Caribbean”, similar to Johnny Depp has a charm. (...) is one of the three best roles in the play. I have already mentioned the excellent - funny and scary, bravely playing her vis comica - Annie Radwan. The event of the evening, however, is Magda Grąziowska in the role of Polly. Delightfully spoiled, thoroughly perverted, under the makeup of an infantile doll, Macheath's cruel wife grows into a leading figure over time. (...) Anna Radwan sings “The Ballad of Sexual Slowness” magnificently, and to her is the poignant, different performance of “Jenna, the pirate bride” — for me the most piercing moment of spectacle.

Jacek Wakar blog.pl/review

Mirrored Roles:

26 and 27 September — Beata Paluch, Alicja Jurkowska, Małgorzata Walenda

The media patron is Onet.

The license for the use of the dramatic work, the music, as well as the Polish translation of the work and the translations of the songs was granted by the Association of Authors ZAiKS.