Crime and politics! Deception and passion! Corruption and good citizenship! These are ideas that remain a constant part of society. While not all are bad, some are either hard to live by or hard to completely remove from our lives.
Yet this way of life has been prominent for years, dating all the way back to the 19th century. These themes have been expressed in a variety of ways over the years, and one timely representation is currently being presented by the University Theater with \The Threepenny Opera,"" a musical written by German playwright Bertolt Brecht. Brecht based the musical on John Gay's 1728 play ""The Beggar's Opera,"" and recreated the story of the gentleman thief Macheath while adding cynical comedy and attacks on capitalism.
Such devices were common to Brecht's style, according to musical director Bill Farlow. ""The Threepenny Opera,"" presents social and political commentary with humor.
""Brecht and [composer Kurt] Weill were insistent that the piece be entertaining,"" Farlow said. ""It says a lot of brutal and unpleasant-but true-things, yet it has to have this seductive, entertaining quality.""
This version, the most popular representation of Brecht's vision, is set in 1920s Weimar Germany. It focuses on the beggar underworld, consisting of both wealthy businessmen and the scum of the earth: prostitutes and beggars. But the central character is the charming yet mysterious thief, Macheath (Steve O'Connell), who is loved by the ladies but hunted by the rich.
The plot thickens when Macheath marries Polly (Carrie Coon), daughter of J.J. Peachum, the beggar king (David Furumoto). Peachum and his wife Celia (Leticia Bryan) use their beggars to track Macheath and ultimately capture him. Their efforts are rendered worthless upon the discovery of Mac paying off the police commissioner.
While the audience may think Peachum gives up and lets Mac go, that is not Brecht's style. Soon, those charmed by Mack's presence turn on him, and the play takes a dark turn as the curtain falls on Act I.
Though O'Connell said he enjoyed playing the deceptive character of Mac, it was also a challenge. ""[Mac] has so many faces in the show,"" O'Connell said, ""and it was hard to decide when he was being truthful ... in order to get what he needed at the time.""
""The Threepenny Opera"" focuses on deception, corruption and selfishness around every corner, aspects still prevalent in today's society. ""We're all complicit in the factors that are shaping the world,"" Coon said. ""If we continue to turn a blind eye to things that are unfavorable, they will never change.""
Furumoto is proud to be part of a production with such a powerful message. ""[The message encourages audiences] not to give up the fight for righting social wrongs,"" Furumoto said, adding he hoped the audience hears the message and does its part to make society better.
Audiences who see this play will hopefully realize the play's connection with the recent election. Patricia Boyette, director of ""The Threepenny Opera,"" believes this is the perfect play at this point in American history because all the characters are archetypes of our society. She sees much of society represented in the play-a scary thought to her.
""It's rather chilling to see how little has changed in society where affection and loyalty can be bought and sold ... and money rules the world,"" Boynette said.
""Threepenny"" is a shocking portrayal of the ills of society, though it is presented using humorous dialogue and jazzy music numbers. It is a production that everyone should see, if only for the important messages that it relates. While the themes remain relevant, there is hope that if more people see it, these negative aspects of society may one day disappear.
