On the surface, the Threepenny Opera seems to romanticise a society in which no-one is to be trusted: “Erst das Fressen, dan die Moral” (Food first, then morality). But it is in fact a serious critique of human greed in a cut-throat capitalist system. 
The streets of 18th-century Soho are festively decorated for the coming coronation of the Queen – a good opportunity for thieves, whores and beggars to boost their earnings. Mack the Knife – murderer, rapist, extortionist and robber – is the most dangerous criminal of them all. This bandit incurs the ire of the boss of beggars, Peachum, by secretly marrying his daughter Polly. Peachum blackmails a corrupt police chief into arresting his new son-in-law; Mackie takes to his heels and goes into hiding at the home of the whore Pirate Jenny, who betrays him. He winds up in jail, awaiting the gallows. The police want to hang the villain before the coronation. One police officer suggests that he might just be willing to accept a bribe. There follows a race against time to collect enough money.

Artists

KURT WEILL & BERTOLT BRECHT
Threepenny Opera

HET NATIONALE TONEEL
ASKO|SCHÖNBERG
music
Kurt Weill
text
Bertolt Brecht
translation
Geert van Istendael
direction
Franz Marijnen
actors
Mark Rietman, Peter Tuinman, Anniek Pheifer, Bien de Moor, Rosa Mee, Betty Schuurman, Frans van Deursen, Jan-Paul Buijs