A "Threepenny" for Your Thoughts

 A couple of days ago, I was lucky enough to be able to see the Robert Wilson production of The Threepenny Opera at BAM, which unfortunately is only running for a limited engagement, courtesy of the Next Wave Festival. While Threepenny is an oft-mentioned work in the musical-theater cannon, it's rarely successfully mounted. Consider it the lower-maintenance sister of Cabaret, Chicago and Sweeney Todd; the slightly-grungier one who likes to bite and knows German.

There's no intricately, Bob Fosse-choreographed dance number and no big diva show-tune to dazzle you. Because you don't go to Threepenny for ear or eye candy. You go because you want to be unsettled, in ears, eyes and mind. This is a story about a serial killer who lies, cheats and is an abuser. And the people who want to arrest him, they are crime lords and pimps. So there are no heroes and no virgins. Just really horrible people who might as well be walking corpses (to borrow a sentiment from Ben Brantley's glowing review). 

Pair that with a color palette of primary colors, exaggerated silhouettes, minimalistic set and warbled "singing" (or speaking above a dissonant score) and you have a Robert Wilson production.

Here are some thoughts I had as I was watching the production:

• Oh, so this musical is where "Mack the Knife" came from...Oh wow, the Michael Buble version did not mention Macky raping somebody. While they're asleep!
• Wow, this musical is really REALLY German.
• Then again, can this really be considered a musical? No one is really singing.
• No wonder the Weimar Republic banned this play. It takes an all-around destitute view of human nature. For example, take these bleak lyrics on for size:

You lot, who preach restraint and watch your waist as well
Should learn, for once, the way the world is run
However much you twist, or whatever lies that you tell
Food is the first thing, morals follow on

...What keeps mankind alive? The fact that millionsare daily tortured, stifled, punished, silenced and oppressed
Mankind can keep alive thanks to its brilliance
in keeping its humanity repressed
And for once you must try not to shirk the facts
Mankind is kept alive
by bestial acts!

• Oh! It's a satire of musicals! So of course they wouldn't really be singing. Bravo Mr. Wilson, smart directorial choice.
• It's hard to believe the musical was written in the 1920's. When they talk about the banks stealing your money, and how robbing a bank and owning a bank are the same thing, Mack the Knife might as well be Bernie Mac. How fitting that this is being mounted while Occupy Wall Street is going on.
• I really want to do this again. After I take a shower.