Cockpit Theatre, London – until 7th October 2023
Reviewed by Phil Brown
4****
The compact Cockpit Theatre in Marylebone is a bit of a fringe gem. It’s a purpose built, relatively modern (1969/70) community theatre with a tardis like ability to feel spacious inside. The buzzy, intimate atmosphere, audience friendly in-the-round configuration and good value tickets make for a welcoming theatre experience, even before the action starts.
The Cockpit’s one liner for Ovo’s production of ‘The Threepenny Opera’ is “a bold, imaginative musical comedy”. It’s certainly bold snd imaginative. I’m not sure that the comedy part was proven! However, in the context of Britain’s current fraught society, Ovo’s revival of this classic musical seems utterly prescient, given it was originally a socialist critique of the capitalist world.
Brecht/Weil/Hauptmann’s “cheap opera” has been updated for modern times with new lyrics by Director Adam Nichols in collaboration with original librettist Jeremy Sams. The directorial team of Adam Nichols, Julia Mintzer (Co-director) and Lada Valešcová (Conductor and MD) must be congratulated for managing intensely rich content to achieve such a cohesive, well-oiled production over 2½ hours involving 15 performers playing multiple parts as well as 21 instruments (including spoons!).
A remarkable team effort.
Captain Macheath (brilliantly played by Peter Watts) is an infamous gangster who kills and plunders at will, thanks to the protection offered by his ex army buddy the current Chief of Police,Tiger Brown (Lee Drage). He aspires to middle class respectability. The conniving Jonathan Peachum (Mark Carlisle), an equally unsavoury Fagin like character runs a major begging ring but fears Macheath’s relationship with his daughter Polly Peachum (Emily Panes) will hurt his racket. Celia Peachum (Annette Yeo) is Peachum’s wife who was hoping for a higher class match for Polly. Lucy Brown (Emilia Harrild) is the daughter of the police chief, Macheath’s lover and claims to be pregnant by him. Low Dive Jenny (Faith Turner) is another former love of Macheath and now a prostitute. (If the devil could cast his net…)
The wonderfully versatile cast were mostly deployed with their instruments on the bottom tier of seats surrounding the stage with some quick-fire visits to a minimally dressed centre stage for individual and ensemble performing duties. The basic set resembled a circular bandstand with a small podium and columns defined by dangling ropes. This cleverly served as Peachum’s HQ, Macheath’s lair and wedding venue – a Sainsbury’s abattoir, and his eventual prison cell. Props were various mannequin parts presumably reflecting their use in Peachum’s begging operation and Macheath’s abattoir.
There was so much going on in this show, there were inevitably moments of sensory overload, and some song lyrics were difficult to pick up – a minor shame in the scheme of things. For the most part, the spoken dialogue worked brilliantly and convincingly for such duckers and divers in conversation. The time and effort that has gone into preparing this production is evident. The whole company truly earned the enthusiastic reception for an impressively professional show. It was full blooded theatre – every performer gave their all, and the result was a high quality, and stimulating evening of entertainment, containing several towering individual contributions.
The physically imposing and naturally charismatic James Watt, seeming to channel Michael Caine at times, fairly bristled with barely suppressed testosterone as Macheath. Mark Carlisle, full of menace was suitably calculating and mercenary as Peachum. Emily Panes (as Polly Peachum) managed to tread the fine line between doting bride and hard nosed gold-digger/business partner with ease, as well as singing beautifully (including a great take on the ‘Pirate Jenny’ song) and playing the bandoneon. Emilia Harrild (as Lucy Brown) was probably the pick of the lead vocalists with a superb ‘Ballad of Mack the Knife’ plus expert cello. I also enjoyed Ben Howarth as Filch, a prospective Peachum beggar doubling up as one of Tiger Brown’s constables and main percussionist.
Ovo’s fine production of ‘The Threepenny Opera’ exudes energy and artistry. If you are open to going off-piste and experiencing something with more guts than the usual crowd pleasing fodder, and also supporting the admirable depth of performing talent around Britain, I would throughly commend this marvellous production.