Brecht's loose adaptation (with Elisabeth Hauptmann) of John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera" was conceived to be performed by untrained voices - though his lyrics demand clarity and Weill's melodies embrace virtuosity. Music Director David Möschler's seven-piece band sounded thin at times Sunday but makes good use of its limitations and help from the cast to capture the gist and flavor of Weill's unforgettable score. The cast is uneven, longer on punk and "Cabaret" attitudes than acting in some roles, and not all are strong singers. And it soars on the voices of Venter, Beth Wilmurt, Bekka Fink and Rebecca Pingree. It starts slow but it picks up once Jeff Wood's Macheath arrives bearing his latest bride, Kelsey Venter's Polly Peachum as an image of sweet virginity. A half-decent "Threepenny" is a gift at any time, and Susannah Martin's staging of the 1928 Brecht-Weill masterpiece is better than that.
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