Washington Post - Somewhat Recommended
"...It must be said, though, that this “Threepenny,” for all of its theater savvy and strong ensemble work, tends also to feel a little bit tame, and as a result, the musical can’t help but show its age. I’m not sure how exactly this can be avoided, for to paint Brecht’s parasites too grotesquely would be to turn “Threepenny” into a cartoon, as has happened in some past incarnations. In recent decades, the milieu of “Threepenny” has taken more striking form in musicals such as Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s “Sweeney Todd,” which wallows far more satisfyingly in the scurvy muck of London depravity. Even the parodistic “Urinetown,” by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, conjured this world more zestily: Who can forget the succinct sendup of Brecht and Weill’s sardonic themes in “Urinetown’s” funny number, “It’s a Privilege to Pee”?"
DC Theater Arts - Highly Recommended
"...Stepping into the Signature Theatre’s MAX Theatre, you immediately realize that you are standing on a giant, weathered Union Jack—transported, perhaps a bit uneasily for some, into the eerie streets of London at a time from a not-too-distant past. With nothing around but a garishly neon sign flickering “In$tant Ca$h” and some graffiti on the wall that proclaims “One Nation Under $$$,” a scantily clad woman smoking by a worn post reminds you that something is not quite right. This world—one created by Scenic Designer Misha Kachman and Lighting Designer Colin K. Bills—is one that seems distant, yet all-too-familiar; stock market data scrolls across screens in the background, perhaps the only familiar comfort in an otherwise foreign landscape."
WeLoveDC - Recommended
"...Director Matthew Gardiner and his design team have created a visually interesting show, making use of tableau to generate a series of lovely live images. Costume designer Frank Labovitz’s costumes fit the nature of the characters perfectly, and the intricacies of video designer Rocco Disanti’s projections were fun to watch (particularly the stock ticker that subtlely has all positive stocks drop to negative worth before they finish scrolling). Gardiner has a keen eye for detail, which was evident in both the design of the show as well as providing the only real layer of depth in a deliberate one-dimensional production, which served as the only truly interesting part of the show."
Talkin Broadway - Recommended
"...The Threepenny Opera is a classic work of musical theater that is difficult to get right, with Bertolt Brecht's incendiary political message lurking beneath a layer of humor and Kurt Weill's insinuating songs. Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, has gathered a powerful cast for a strong production that places the action in a near-future London overwhelmed with crime, homelessness, and poverty while a few live in comfort. (The authors of the 1928 work set the play at the time of Queen Victoria's coronation in 1837; the source material, John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, premiered in 1728.)"
Washingtonian - Recommended
"...The performances by the featured actors and ensemble are all huge—perhaps overly so for Signature’s cozy theater—and the vocals are over-amplified to the point of being ear-splitting. For Diaz, such volume feels justified, but after her phenomenal opening number she disappears for the length of a Bible. Group numbers such as the “Wedding Song” benefit from Gardiner’s choreography, as does a resounding tango between Macheath and Jenny as she recalls his brutal behavior as her lover and pimp. And Bobby Smith and Donna Migliaccio are pitch-perfect as Polly’s parents, the conniving but charismatic Mr. and Mrs. Peachum, who’d be right at home running a tavern and abusing orphans in Les Misérables."
MD Theatre Guide - Highly Recommended
"...While I still find Marc Blitzstein’s adaptation the best, Signature Theatre’s The Threepenny Opera is a must see. Featuring some high end performances and Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s score standing the test of time, here is one musical that is still relevant 86 years after its premiere. When a show holds up for that long, it must have something."
DCTheatreScene - Somewhat Recommended
I was excited and hopeful that Gardiner and company would deliver something passionate and thrilling. I was looking for social satire with real bite, especially after being so enthralled by Gardiner’s vicious, sexy work on Tender Napalm, still playing just down the Signature hall.
