The young, slightly frivolously dressed woman would have imagined the scene of her wedding celebration to be a little more tasteful. “That’s a horse stable!” Polly Peachum, played by Zelal Kapçık, calls out indignantly. “Oh yes,” replies one of the four gallows birds who brought them here. “But it is dedicated to Saint Anthony.”
If anyone in the Regensburg audience was in danger of identifying too much with what was happening on stage or even staring romantically, that was the end of it. You weren’t in the heart of Soho (as in the play), but in the barracks district of Regensburg: That Theater in the Antoniushaus, the new second venue of the Regensburg theatre, opened on Saturday with the performance of the “Threepenny Opera”. The first date two weeks ago had to be postponed due to a corona disease in the ensemble. The second attempt worked now, on the schedule: the greatest theatrical success of the Weimar Republic, Brecht’s cheeky mixture of crook play, operetta, tabloid comedy and social drama. “A play that bangs,” Klaus Kusenberg, interim director of the Regensburg Theater and director of the play, justified the choice. “We’re moving to a rather rough area,” he added; they probably didn’t want to overwhelm the audience with an experimental premiere or a melancholic Chekhov.
“It has become a real theatre,” says the director happily
In fact, the former parish hall from the 1950s, which is under monument protection, is located in a rather unadorned area east of the main train station. The conversion work for the new, permanent alternative stage – the renovation of the actual second venue of the theater in the Velodrom is taking longer than hoped (possibly until 2029) – was not only a challenge because of the pandemic. The capacity of the hall, which used to host a lot of cabaret, has been increased. There is now space for more than 400 spectators, who have a good view from a grandstand that rises up to the gallery, and a new, modern light and sound system enables ambitious productions. “It has become a real theatre,” says Kusenberg happily.
A theater that the people of Regensburg are really curious about, two “open days” were well attended, many who knew the ambivalent charm of the old Antoniussaal were impressed. It is also nice that an inn is integrated into the building, and there is also a new decorative window front on the east facade. The fact that some things, such as the cloakrooms, storage facilities and work rooms are suboptimal and there is also no orchestra pit, you have to “accept”, as Kusenberg says.
Katharina Solzbacher as Mackie Messer and Zelal Kapçık as Polly Peachum.
(Photo: Martin Sigmund/Theater Regensburg)
Of course, what is happening on stage is decisive for long-term acceptance anyway, and the Regensburg ensemble has managed to produce a production worth seeing with the “Threepenny Opera”. One can always ask oneself whether the piece’s capitalism or social criticism is a bit outdated and how it can be transferred to the present day. The new tone that Brecht set with his text at the premiere in 1928 (with the help of Elisabeth Hauptmann), his laconic, malicious poetic language and merciless view of the world, but in their sharpness – perhaps only apparently so cynical – they bear something timeless, always topical in itself. Timelessly good, that also applies to Kurt Weill’s music, which was performed in Regensburg by an ensemble of seven experienced musicians under the direction of Bettina Ostermeier, who played on two steel frames on the stage and were occasionally briefly involved in the dramaturgical events.
The leading female roles are well cast
Heavy curtains printed with quotes from the “Threepenny Opera” were also part of the stage design, reflecting the sometimes pitiless, sometimes accusatory view of things. Katharina Solzbacher played Mackie Messer (Macheath) as a platinum-blonde, androgynous-dandy crook boss. With her, even sentences like “Shut up!” a casually cool elegance. Charming and blessed with a soft alto voice, Solzbacher seemed a bit too casual at times. In any case, she could have developed the cynical charisma of the robber and murderer Macheath, who actually wants to become a big citizen, even more.
Zelal Kapçık acted convincingly as Polly Peachum, and although not equipped with the most beautiful singing voice, she mastered her singing performances such as the ballad of “Pirate Jenny” grippingly. In general, the leading female roles were well cast: Verena Maria Bauer as the slutty-attractive Jenny in a dive, but also Franziska Sörensen as the beautiful, ordinary Mrs. Peachum. On the other hand, Gerhard Hermann fell a bit short as Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum, who was too harmless in his ill-fitting suit and owed something to the intriguing, moral-free charisma of the bourgeois beggar king. Kristóf Gellén also acted pale as police chief Tiger Brown. On the other hand, Esther Baar’s appearance as jealous Lucy was great, who stepped in at short notice and brought a lot of momentum to the production with her temperament and great voice. Macheath’s gang of thieves played with quasi thieving joy Guido Wachter, David Markandeya Campling (both also singers of moralities), Philipp Quest and Gregor Müller.
Even if not all scenes came out smoothly, it was generally a successful production, which also came up with some beautiful choreographies (Tamás Mester responsible). Might have liked St. Anthony too.