The Threepenny Opera, directed by Martha Clarke, is a devilishly funny 'opera for beggars' which follows the handsome-but-cunning scoundrel Macheath and his shenanigans in 19th century London. Macheath and a host of characters try to out-wit one another in this highly enjoyable musical that explores the pleasures and pitfalls of corruption.
When Macheath marries the lovely Polly Peachum, her father (who happens to have control of all the beggars in London) is far from pleased. He arranges to have Macheath hanged - unaware though that Macheath already has the police chief in his pocket and will not go down without a fight!
Directed by Martha Clarke (who was inspired by the art of Weimar Berlin in this production), this revival by the Atlantic Theatre Company stars Laura Osnes as Polly and Michael Park as Macheath. The Threepenny Opera was first seen on-stage in Berlin in 1928 and was last staged on Broadway as a full-scale production in 2006, where Alan Cumming played the lead role of Macheath.