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Mexico City News / Three Penny Opera [ 4 Jun 1982 ]
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The fog hangs over Victorian London, while down its back streets lurk some of its many shady characters, Crook-Fingered Jake, Matt the Mint, Robert the Saw, some overly-painted tarts and "the last gentleman in London," the arch villain Mack the Knife.
These are just some of the characters that populate the Bertolt Brecht-Kurt Weill musical Three Penny Opera currently being performed by the Theatre Workshop.
It is Lee-Alison's Jenny that catches us off guard. Her first appearance as Pirate Jenny is a true moment of brightness, MacHeath says, "That's not pretty, that's art."
The set, designed by David Straud, is imaginative and well utilized. But the changing of scenes is awkward. Perhaps choreography could be developed to make this flow more smoothly such as the type used in bringing in the jail-house bars.
Katherene Hale's costumes evoke the period and add atmosphere.
In all the production has many awkward moments that perhaps can be tightened through future performances. As a community theater group, it should focus on its strengths to avoid musicals, unless enough suitable talent can be found. In this production Ms. Lee-Alison stands out as a ray of light in the darkness.
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