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The Threepenny Opera Reviews
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| 16 |
Review by: Rman, Apr 7, 2006 |
Reading these reviews, it's hard to believe we all attended the same show. I wasn't put off by the modest sets- Urinetown's sets were equally understated, and they worked equally well. The simplicity of Threepenny's sets added stark grittiness to the already dark storyline, and the reflective scrim was inventive. I only wish the term "inventive" could be applied to the performers. Having seen Jim Dale's Broadway portrayal of P.T. Barnum and ... read more Alan Cumming in Julie Taymor's visually-over-the-top Titus, both performers appeared miscast in their current roles. Dale's clownish dance routine would be better suited for a Barnum revival, and Cumming's performance lacked the "bad boy magnetism" his character demands. Instead, they seemed flat and disconnected from each other - one could almost cut through the indifference with Mack's knife. Polly and Mack were oddly devoid of any chemistry (just what did each see in the other anyway?), and with the chemistry, so goes the binding thread. Cyndi Lauper was simply disappointing- perhaps flattest of all, forgetting her lines in 2 of her numbers. To her credit, Ana Gasteyer made the best of a bad situation.
Surprisingly, the most memorable scene was Lucy Brown's Bedroom, where a campy and stronger vocal performance made for an entertaining, and all-too-brief escape. Probably a bit late for serious re-tooling, the principals need to polish up their acts if this pig hopes to fly. And at $111.25 for prime seats, that's a whole lot of Pennies for this bizarre little Opera. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 17 |
Review by: , Apr 6, 2006 |
Watching this production of Three Penny Opera was a huge disappointment. Alan Cummings, so great in Cabaret, seemed like he was just going through the montions of the character. I went to see this production soley based on his prior outstanding performance. The play was dark, dreary and aside from Jim Dale, uninspiring. I'm not sure if the acoustics in the theatre were to blame, but understanding the dialogue was often impossible. ... read more When I think of the time period of the play and the theme, I really can appreciate the fantastic singing and acting of Liza Minnelli and the cast of the earlier Cabaret. And to compare how great Mr. Cummings was in the newer production makes me realize how second rate the production of "Threepenny" is.
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
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| 18 |
Review by: Eddie, Apr 6, 2006 |
| What a waste... fantastic ensemble. If you're a Cyndi Lauper fan, you'll wait on the edge of your seats to see her two big numbers... if you like theatre overall you'll cringe... Her cute 1920's persona worked as a 1980's pop diva... in this musical her attempt to sound like a German chanteuse singer (or whatever they call them) didn't work much for me. The big surprize was Ana Gastayer's powerful voice. The physical acting in the show was ... read more great, but oveall I found the production a waste, condescending towards the audience... and the "shock humor" which had its purpose when the musical was written (to break downt he fourth wall and jar the audience into political awareness) just didn't work... more story was needed! |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Adults
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| 19 |
Review by: , Apr 5, 2006 |
I don't know what performance the other people were at but I saw the ThreePenny Opera and I loved it. Obviously alot of people were expecting big theatre costumes and scenery- big budgets! This is not one of those at all, if that's what you're expecting don't go.
Also most people who posted here don't understand this performance. Standouts were Cyndi Lauper's solomen song, her vocals were not weak but the highlight of the show. The rest ... read more were up to par also.
If your expecting Disney World don't go, this is more of black box theatre. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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Romantic Date
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| 20 |
Review by: artsong, Apr 5, 2006 |
I saw 3Penny the March 25 matinee. I went, mainly, because Cyndi Lauper was in it. She did not disappoint. Her songs were haunting. It was a shame there wasn't more of her. Nelly McKay was great as Polly Peachum. He angelic look, combined with her unique sound and dry humor really worked ( for me ) in this production. Alan Cumming is certainly good at what he does, but this is a little too reminicent of Cabaret for me. I don't know that he ... read more would've been my first choice for this role. He certainly does ok and has some really nice moments ( especially in Act II ), but, overall I felt we had seen this character from him before.
Ana Gasteyer and Jim Dale, as Mr. and Mrs. Peachum, steal the show. They are darkly funny without abandon. Their singing, comic timing: flawless. They are what keep the pace of this otherwise dragging show moving. We did see a preview performance, but the pace is definitely still lagging, sometimes awkwardly so. Lines were stumbled over a bit as well. I actually prefer sparse sets/costumes in pieces like this, so that didn't bother me so much. It works. It leaves you able to focus on the music and what it is trying to say. It also makes flaws in production/performance more painfully obvious.
Over all it was an ok production. I feel like the leads are all very good ( or have the potential to be ), but the ensemble was lacking. This tends to give it a regional theatre feel at times and when you're sitting in Studio 54 in a $100 seat.....that's kind of annoying. I think it will be intersting to see how this show evolves once it is into it's regular run. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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I saw this show with:
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Recommended for:
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| 21 |
Review by: Darren, Apr 5, 2006 |
| When I walked away from this show, all I could think about was the performance given by Cyndi Lauper. What an incredible talent. She should have taken to the stage years ago. Worth the ticket price just to see and hear her. |
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Alone
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| 22 |
Review by: theatregoer, Apr 1, 2006 |
| I specifically went to see Anna Gasteyer in this performance after having seen her in Wicked in Chicago a number of times. The entire show was a disappointedment. None of the roles were well developed. The set and costumes appeared as thought there was no budget, (How about a change of costumes? The entire show did not reflect one day.) and while it was a dark show, the characters also showed no depth. Maybe it was the directors? I ... read more expected more from Ana Gasteyer. I almost felt sorry for her after just coming off of such a phenomenal production and portrayal in Wicked. Maybe her next job will showcase her skill. As for this show - don't go. |
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| 23 |
Review by: jsabatino, Mar 31, 2006 |
| Stand out is Anna G. as Mrs. Peachum. The rest of the cast is "ok". Cyndi Lauper doesn't have a strong enough vocal to stand arm and arm with the others which makes this tough for her. The show itself is terrible. I still don't get it. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
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| 24 |
Review by: sheruns, Mar 30, 2006 |
| I saw the first preview performance of The Threepenny Opera on March 24 and really enjoyed this thought-provoking show. I thought the zombie-like costuming and characterizaton of the first number (Mac the Knife)effectively set the stage for Brecht's work and emphasized the theme, later repeated in the song lyrics, "humans eating humans." There were some problems with forgotten lines and pacing of the dialogue, but ... read more it was the first preview after all. The musical numbers were often terrific. Cyndi Lauper's musical numbers were haunting. I especially enjoyed Nellie McKay as Polly Peachum singing the Pirate Jenny song. It provided a dark contrast to her blond, white, virginal costuming that did not go unnoticed. I question the casting of Alan Cumming as Macheath, as I would have prefered someone taller and more physically menacing and charasmatic. That said, he did remind me of the typical "bad boy" of the '80s that I might have had a crush on while in college. All in all though, it was an interesting night of theater and I'd love to be able to see the show again in a month or so to see how it has come together. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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| 25 |
Review by: tag, Mar 28, 2006 |
| Saw the second performance, March 25th, 2:00pm. The performances are pretty good especially Ana Gasteyer. The show, however, is a mess. Couldn't wait for it to end. Cindi Lauper is wasted. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| Acting: |
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Adults
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| * Review is an opinion of a BroadwayBox user and not that of BroadwayBox.com and BroadwayBox, Inc. |
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