Synopsis:
- Introduction to Macheath,
- ‘The beggars are begging, the thieves are stealing, the whores are whoring.’
- Act 1, Scene 1:
- Jonathon Jeremiah Peachum’s outfitting shop for beggars.
- Filch joins Peachum’s operation. We learn about his business.
- Peachum realizes his daughter Polly is romantically involved with Mac the Knife.
- Celia and Jonathon sing ‘The ‘No They Can’t’ Song’.
- Act 1, Scene 2:
- Bare stable
- Mac and Polly’s wedding.
- The gang arrive with furniture and food they have stolen.
- Feast, fighting amongst gang, Polly changeable- complaining one minute and calming Mac the next.
- The Reverend arrives to marry them.
- At Mac’s repeated request the thieves sing ‘Wedding song for the less well off’.
- Polly sings ‘Pirate Jenny’.
- Brown arrives, gang worried, discover he’s an old friend of Mac’s from the war and receives a cut of the profits.
- Brown and Mac sing ‘The Cannon Song’.
- Act 1, Scene 3:
- Peachum’s Outfitting Emporium for Beggars
- Parents angry with Polly for marriage.
- Polly sings.
- Parents hatch a plan to get Mac arrested.
- All three sing the ‘First Three-Penny Finale Concerning the Insecurity of the Human Condition’.
- Act 2, Scene 4:
- Polly warns Mac of plot. He vows to escape and teaches her how to continue his business.
- Mac leaves.
- Interlude: Mrs Peachum tells Low-Dive Jenny of an award for catching Mac.
- Mrs Peachum sings ‘The Ballad of Sexual Obsession’
- Act 2, Scene 5:
- Whorehouse in Turnbridge
- Jake (gang member) and Mac are there.
- Whores betray Mac to the police.
- Smith turns up.
- Jenny and Mac sing the ‘Ballad of Immoral Earnings’
- Smith tries to arrest Mac who jumps out the window and runs straight into Mrs Peachum and the constables. They arrest him.
- Act 2, Scene 6:
- The Cells in the Old Bailey.
- Brown waits hoping Mac won’t get caught.
- Mac arrives tied with ropes, makes Brown feel very guilty and upset.
- Mac sings ‘Ballade of Good Living’
- Lucy arrives- questions Mac about marriage, he denies it.
- Polly arrives. Polly and Lucy sing ‘Jealousy Duet’. They argue.
- Mrs Peachum arrives and drags Polly away.
- Lucy throws Mac his cane, he escapes.
- Mr Peachum threatens Brown with upsetting the upcoming Coronation.
- Jenny and Mac sing ‘Second Threepenny Finale- What Keeps Mankind Alive?’
- Act 3, Scene 7:
- Peachum’s Outfitting Emporium for Beggars
- Peachum prepares to disrupt the coronation.
- Jenny and other whores come to collect reward for catching Mac. Mrs Peachum refuses because he escaped.
- Jenny speaks fondly of Mac but inadvertently reveals where he is.
- Mrs Peachum sings the third stanza of ‘the Ballad of Sexual Obsession’.
- Brown and Smith come to arrest the beggars.
- Peachum dissuades him with threats, tells him where Mac is, threatens him with chaos and blame if Mac is not arrested.
- Beggars sing ‘Song of the Insufficiency of Human Endeavour’.
- Jenny sings ‘Solomen Song’
- Act 3, Scene 8:
- A young girl’s room in the Old Bailey.
- Polly visits Lucy in prison.
- They are artificially comforting to each other, competing.
- Mac is arrested.
- Mrs Peachum brings Polly widow’s clothes and drags her off.
- Act 3, Scene 9:
Death Cell.
Mac has been betrayed by the whores again.
Plans to hang Mac by morning (before the coronation so as not to disrupt it).
Mac tries to bribe Smith into letting him escape. Mac argues with Brown
Mac sends Jake and Matt (gang members) to get him money. It’s not enough.
He sends them off to tell the queen.
Polly visits.
Mac has his last mean- asparagus.
Mac and Brown discuss money.
Everyone arrives for hanging.
Mac sings ‘Ballad in which Macheath Begs All Men For Forgiveness’.
Peachum gives final speech.
Brown brings reprieve from Queen by horseback just in time.
