| threepenny_opera_2c_cast_and_set.docx |
Threepenny Opera
The main feature of the set is a stairway made of wide black steps which almost fill the stage. They are edged in blue neon light.
12 steps rise from floor level, on top of which is a platform which serves as a stage. At the back of the platform, rise four more steps, above which rest two rows of tall black vertical rectangles, also edged in neon light. The rectangles fill the full height and width of the stage.
During the play, one rectangle in the middle is used as a door through which characters enter and exit, and also an opening appears, revealing an inset stage where a variety of scenes occur; the Peachum’s
clothes shop, the wedding venue, and the prison.
There are two trapdoors, one on the platform, and one on the inset stage, through which characters, and sometimes props appear and exit.
Characters sometime enter and exit via the very bottom step, which means they appear and disappear very suddenly.
To the left of the steps are four chairs for members of the band, with stands for their music. To the right are drums and percussion instruments and two more chairs for the band.
The Band
The band are seated on either side of the stage. They are all dressed in red, white and blue striped blazers, wear white shirts and white trousers. On their heads they wear identical straw boaters with a dark blue hat-band and their bow ties are the same shade of blue. On the left of the set the instruments are two saxophones, a trumpet and an accordion. On the right there is a double bass, a trombone a drum-kit and a gong.
On the left, in a pit, is sited a piano and an organ while there is a guitar on the right.
The Cast
Jenny Diver, played by Kerri Quinn, is the first member of the cast to appear. Kerri had a mass of long dark hair, large eyes outlined in black under finely arched brows a neat nose, wide mouth and pointed chin. She is tall and slim, with a pair of well-shaped slender legs. Kerri makes a dramatic entrance, wearing a flamboyant pink and black flowered kimono, embellished with sequins, opened over black and pink panties and bra top. Her midriff is bare and a jewel shines out of her navel. Her stockings are black striped with darker black and a suspender belt holds them up. Her outfit is completed with black high heels. Her luxuriant hair, under which large hooped earrings appear, is decorated with three pink and white flowers. Later Jenny appears in a purple satin dress, hitched up at the side and with a lace panel over one hip. Its bodice is low cut and a swag of satin hangs down at one side. It has long, loose sleeves with tassels at each end.
Celia Peachum is somewhat surprisingly played by a man, Matthew Cavan. His impersonation of a woman is very convincing but his voice is almost certainly that of a man. He has an oval shaped face, a wide mouth and narrow eyes. For the part of Celia he wears a platinum blonde, bobbed wig. He has a slim figure with long legs. Celia first appears in a blue track-suit trimmed with white. The tracksuit jacket is open over a tight, white top which covers her bosom but leaves her midriff bare. Her sports shoes are white and she wears a sparkly necklace and bracelet. At the start of the show and at the end Mrs Peachum wears blue velvet trousers and a blue satin shirt with long extravagant sleeves, puffed from the elbow downward. The shirt is tucked into the trousers and cinched in with a large, broad white belt laced tight with black laces. The trousers are tucked into long white boots. Towards the close of the Opera Mrs Peachum appears in a blue suit with a narrow skirt. The suit is trimmed with white piping and decorated with large white buttons with a white and black checked bow visible at the neck and a brooch in the shape of a shield on the lapel.
Orla Mullan takes on two parts, the Rev. Kimball and Dolly. She is a chunky rather overweight figure with substantial limbs and bottom. She has a rounded pleasant face, wide eyes and a generous mouth. As Reverend Kimball she wears a loose, purple satin dress, which comes down to her calves. It is trimmed with white cuffs and she wears a white dog collar at her neck, with black shoes and stockings on her feet and legs. Her brown hair is bobbed for this part. When she becomes Dolly she wears a sexy take on a school uniform with a stiff, very short black satin pinafore dress over a pink shirt with a pink belt and black and white striped tie, and a large cross on the bosom. She has waist length blonde plaits fastened with ribbons at the ends. She also appears as a very overweight fairy or angel in a short white net tutu with silver hair surmounted by a halo, pink wings on her shoulders and pink shoes. She has pink high heeled sandals on her feet. We glimpse her big white knickers underneath her dress when she leaves.
Jackie ‘Tiger’ Brown, also known as the Commissioner, wears a camel overcoat over a pale tan suit, checked in beige. He wears a dark brown and tan striped tie over a white shirt. His hair is black and plastered close to his head and a black eye-patch covers his right eye. He has a square face, deep set eyes and thin lips. Richard Croxford plays the part of Jackie.
Polly Peachum played by Jayne Wisener, has a slender figure with long legs. Her oval face is conventionally pretty with high cheek bones, wide set eyes, a neat nose and curving mouth. She has a platinum blonde bob which may be a wig. She wears a splendid wedding outfit. The skirt of the dress is white net, with yellow flowers decorating it. The bodice is entirely composed of row upon row of yellow flowers and a tiara of yellow flowers keeps her veil in place over her platinum blonde bob. Her high heels are bright yellow in colour and white gloves cover her arms up to the elbow. Later the dress comes apart and she wears the flowery yellow bodice with a pair of yellow shorts, frilled at the hem, and decorated with two flowers. Her midriff is revealed with a jewel at the navel and she has retained the yellow high heels. Later again Polly wears black boots, black shorts with stars and large contrasting black and orange patch pockets, with black and orange trim at the hem. She also wears a yellow and black leopard print waistcoat, with a plain yellow back and a low-cut yellow top under it and sparkling sequins on its lapels. She sports a small tattoo of a flower on her left arm. Towards the finale of the show Polly appears in a jacket and shorts suit of yellow and black, large hounds tooth check trimmed with black. Underneath she wears a yellow waistcoat and blouse and a white tie.
The part of Lucy Brown is played by Brigid Shine. Lucy has a narrow face, high cheek bones, wide set eyes and a rather large nose. She has long dark hair held back in a ponytail and a small neat figure. She wears a bright green fun-fur coat, a very short black leather wrap-around skirt and a white shiny plastic top laced with black and trimmed with black on the cuffs and with a black collar and decorated with a black star. She sports a chunky silver belt round her hips. On her slim, shapely legs she wears black knee-length boots over fishnet tights. The skirt is so skimpy that sometimes a pair of tight black under-shorts appear beneath it.
The part of Macheath is played by Mark Dugdale. He is a slender figure with a long face, deep-set eyes, a big nose and wide mouth. He has black hair slicked down on his forehead and a close-cropped beard. A scar runs from the left side of his forehead, down his eyelid to his eye. He first appears in a white jacket trimmed with black over black trousers and white dress shirt. He wears a black bow tie and a red flower adorns the lapel of his jacket. Later he wears a white shirt open to the waist, and a loose black tie, with red braces to hold up his black trousers. On another occasion he appears in black boxer shorts with pink socks and pink braces. His shoes are black and white brogues.
Jonathan Peachum wears a red tracksuit trimmed with white. Towards the end of the show he appears in a magnificent band-leader type costume with a red frock coat trimmed with black frogging and black buttons and boasting an array of medals. His black trousers have a red stripe down the side a red waistcoat He has slicked down fairish hair and overdone make up on and oval face with deep-set eyes, big ears and a wide mouth. He has a tall athletic figure emphasised by his sportswear. Stephen Page plays the part of Jonathan Peachum.
Sergeant Smith is played by Maeve Smyth. She has a round face, large eyes, broad nose and curving mouth. She sports an auburn bob. She is a neat figure of medium height and wears a brown flak jacket over a khaki shirt trimmed with black and camel shorts also trimmed with black, over black stockings.
Charles Filch, Walt Dreary and the Constable are all played by Gerard McCabe. He first appears in rags, torn grey trousers over a grey striped coat and peaked cap. He holds a sleeping bag close round his shoulders. As Walt dreary he wears the same costume as the other gang members, a black and white striped waistcoat, black trousers with grey insets, and black and white spats. Each outfit has a touch of red. One touch is a red hanky, another a red flower another a red hat band on his black top hat. Some red braces are visible. As the Constable he simply wears a flak jacket over his black trousers and later a black coat, black peaked cap with black and white squares above the rim
Readymoney Matt and Coaxer are played by Tommy Wallace. He wears the gang member outfit mentioned above, and Crookfinger Jake played by Paul Garrett and Bob the Saw played by Jolene O’Hara also wear these black and grey trousers with either back and white striped shirts or a white shirt with a black and white striped waistcoat over. They have black braces with black shoes and white spats with black buttons on the side. Sometimes they wear fedora hats, gangster style.
Grey trousers with black and white stripe shirt, or white shirt and black and white striped waistcoat. Black braces. Black shoes with white spats; black shoes with calf length white spats with black buttons on the side (will they know what spats are???)
Sometimes they wear black fedora hats.
When Jolene plays Betty she is a completely different figure. Her slight figure is dressed as Little Bo Peep and she carries a shepherd’s crook. She sports a mass of frizzy blonde hair and wears a pink bustier top, tight over frilly pink pantaloons trimmed with pink ribbons. She wears white ankle socks or white stockings and pink ballet shoes adorn her feet. White wrist length gloves are worn on her hands. Betty wears the identical costume to Dolly the sexy take on a school uniform with a stiff, very short black satin pinafore dress over a pink shirt with a pink belt and black and white striped tie, and a large cross on the bosom. She also has waist length blonde plaits fastened with ribbons at the ends.
The play is directed by Walter Sutcliffe ad the musical director is Sinead Hayes.
The main feature of the set is a stairway made of wide black steps which almost fill the stage. They are edged in blue neon light.
12 steps rise from floor level, on top of which is a platform which serves as a stage. At the back of the platform, rise four more steps, above which rest two rows of tall black vertical rectangles, also edged in neon light. The rectangles fill the full height and width of the stage.
During the play, one rectangle in the middle is used as a door through which characters enter and exit, and also an opening appears, revealing an inset stage where a variety of scenes occur; the Peachum’s
clothes shop, the wedding venue, and the prison.
There are two trapdoors, one on the platform, and one on the inset stage, through which characters, and sometimes props appear and exit.
Characters sometime enter and exit via the very bottom step, which means they appear and disappear very suddenly.
To the left of the steps are four chairs for members of the band, with stands for their music. To the right are drums and percussion instruments and two more chairs for the band.
The Band
The band are seated on either side of the stage. They are all dressed in red, white and blue striped blazers, wear white shirts and white trousers. On their heads they wear identical straw boaters with a dark blue hat-band and their bow ties are the same shade of blue. On the left of the set the instruments are two saxophones, a trumpet and an accordion. On the right there is a double bass, a trombone a drum-kit and a gong.
On the left, in a pit, is sited a piano and an organ while there is a guitar on the right.
The Cast
Jenny Diver, played by Kerri Quinn, is the first member of the cast to appear. Kerri had a mass of long dark hair, large eyes outlined in black under finely arched brows a neat nose, wide mouth and pointed chin. She is tall and slim, with a pair of well-shaped slender legs. Kerri makes a dramatic entrance, wearing a flamboyant pink and black flowered kimono, embellished with sequins, opened over black and pink panties and bra top. Her midriff is bare and a jewel shines out of her navel. Her stockings are black striped with darker black and a suspender belt holds them up. Her outfit is completed with black high heels. Her luxuriant hair, under which large hooped earrings appear, is decorated with three pink and white flowers. Later Jenny appears in a purple satin dress, hitched up at the side and with a lace panel over one hip. Its bodice is low cut and a swag of satin hangs down at one side. It has long, loose sleeves with tassels at each end.
Celia Peachum is somewhat surprisingly played by a man, Matthew Cavan. His impersonation of a woman is very convincing but his voice is almost certainly that of a man. He has an oval shaped face, a wide mouth and narrow eyes. For the part of Celia he wears a platinum blonde, bobbed wig. He has a slim figure with long legs. Celia first appears in a blue track-suit trimmed with white. The tracksuit jacket is open over a tight, white top which covers her bosom but leaves her midriff bare. Her sports shoes are white and she wears a sparkly necklace and bracelet. At the start of the show and at the end Mrs Peachum wears blue velvet trousers and a blue satin shirt with long extravagant sleeves, puffed from the elbow downward. The shirt is tucked into the trousers and cinched in with a large, broad white belt laced tight with black laces. The trousers are tucked into long white boots. Towards the close of the Opera Mrs Peachum appears in a blue suit with a narrow skirt. The suit is trimmed with white piping and decorated with large white buttons with a white and black checked bow visible at the neck and a brooch in the shape of a shield on the lapel.
Orla Mullan takes on two parts, the Rev. Kimball and Dolly. She is a chunky rather overweight figure with substantial limbs and bottom. She has a rounded pleasant face, wide eyes and a generous mouth. As Reverend Kimball she wears a loose, purple satin dress, which comes down to her calves. It is trimmed with white cuffs and she wears a white dog collar at her neck, with black shoes and stockings on her feet and legs. Her brown hair is bobbed for this part. When she becomes Dolly she wears a sexy take on a school uniform with a stiff, very short black satin pinafore dress over a pink shirt with a pink belt and black and white striped tie, and a large cross on the bosom. She has waist length blonde plaits fastened with ribbons at the ends. She also appears as a very overweight fairy or angel in a short white net tutu with silver hair surmounted by a halo, pink wings on her shoulders and pink shoes. She has pink high heeled sandals on her feet. We glimpse her big white knickers underneath her dress when she leaves.
Jackie ‘Tiger’ Brown, also known as the Commissioner, wears a camel overcoat over a pale tan suit, checked in beige. He wears a dark brown and tan striped tie over a white shirt. His hair is black and plastered close to his head and a black eye-patch covers his right eye. He has a square face, deep set eyes and thin lips. Richard Croxford plays the part of Jackie.
Polly Peachum played by Jayne Wisener, has a slender figure with long legs. Her oval face is conventionally pretty with high cheek bones, wide set eyes, a neat nose and curving mouth. She has a platinum blonde bob which may be a wig. She wears a splendid wedding outfit. The skirt of the dress is white net, with yellow flowers decorating it. The bodice is entirely composed of row upon row of yellow flowers and a tiara of yellow flowers keeps her veil in place over her platinum blonde bob. Her high heels are bright yellow in colour and white gloves cover her arms up to the elbow. Later the dress comes apart and she wears the flowery yellow bodice with a pair of yellow shorts, frilled at the hem, and decorated with two flowers. Her midriff is revealed with a jewel at the navel and she has retained the yellow high heels. Later again Polly wears black boots, black shorts with stars and large contrasting black and orange patch pockets, with black and orange trim at the hem. She also wears a yellow and black leopard print waistcoat, with a plain yellow back and a low-cut yellow top under it and sparkling sequins on its lapels. She sports a small tattoo of a flower on her left arm. Towards the finale of the show Polly appears in a jacket and shorts suit of yellow and black, large hounds tooth check trimmed with black. Underneath she wears a yellow waistcoat and blouse and a white tie.
The part of Lucy Brown is played by Brigid Shine. Lucy has a narrow face, high cheek bones, wide set eyes and a rather large nose. She has long dark hair held back in a ponytail and a small neat figure. She wears a bright green fun-fur coat, a very short black leather wrap-around skirt and a white shiny plastic top laced with black and trimmed with black on the cuffs and with a black collar and decorated with a black star. She sports a chunky silver belt round her hips. On her slim, shapely legs she wears black knee-length boots over fishnet tights. The skirt is so skimpy that sometimes a pair of tight black under-shorts appear beneath it.
The part of Macheath is played by Mark Dugdale. He is a slender figure with a long face, deep-set eyes, a big nose and wide mouth. He has black hair slicked down on his forehead and a close-cropped beard. A scar runs from the left side of his forehead, down his eyelid to his eye. He first appears in a white jacket trimmed with black over black trousers and white dress shirt. He wears a black bow tie and a red flower adorns the lapel of his jacket. Later he wears a white shirt open to the waist, and a loose black tie, with red braces to hold up his black trousers. On another occasion he appears in black boxer shorts with pink socks and pink braces. His shoes are black and white brogues.
Jonathan Peachum wears a red tracksuit trimmed with white. Towards the end of the show he appears in a magnificent band-leader type costume with a red frock coat trimmed with black frogging and black buttons and boasting an array of medals. His black trousers have a red stripe down the side a red waistcoat He has slicked down fairish hair and overdone make up on and oval face with deep-set eyes, big ears and a wide mouth. He has a tall athletic figure emphasised by his sportswear. Stephen Page plays the part of Jonathan Peachum.
Sergeant Smith is played by Maeve Smyth. She has a round face, large eyes, broad nose and curving mouth. She sports an auburn bob. She is a neat figure of medium height and wears a brown flak jacket over a khaki shirt trimmed with black and camel shorts also trimmed with black, over black stockings.
Charles Filch, Walt Dreary and the Constable are all played by Gerard McCabe. He first appears in rags, torn grey trousers over a grey striped coat and peaked cap. He holds a sleeping bag close round his shoulders. As Walt dreary he wears the same costume as the other gang members, a black and white striped waistcoat, black trousers with grey insets, and black and white spats. Each outfit has a touch of red. One touch is a red hanky, another a red flower another a red hat band on his black top hat. Some red braces are visible. As the Constable he simply wears a flak jacket over his black trousers and later a black coat, black peaked cap with black and white squares above the rim
Readymoney Matt and Coaxer are played by Tommy Wallace. He wears the gang member outfit mentioned above, and Crookfinger Jake played by Paul Garrett and Bob the Saw played by Jolene O’Hara also wear these black and grey trousers with either back and white striped shirts or a white shirt with a black and white striped waistcoat over. They have black braces with black shoes and white spats with black buttons on the side. Sometimes they wear fedora hats, gangster style.
Grey trousers with black and white stripe shirt, or white shirt and black and white striped waistcoat. Black braces. Black shoes with white spats; black shoes with calf length white spats with black buttons on the side (will they know what spats are???)
Sometimes they wear black fedora hats.
When Jolene plays Betty she is a completely different figure. Her slight figure is dressed as Little Bo Peep and she carries a shepherd’s crook. She sports a mass of frizzy blonde hair and wears a pink bustier top, tight over frilly pink pantaloons trimmed with pink ribbons. She wears white ankle socks or white stockings and pink ballet shoes adorn her feet. White wrist length gloves are worn on her hands. Betty wears the identical costume to Dolly the sexy take on a school uniform with a stiff, very short black satin pinafore dress over a pink shirt with a pink belt and black and white striped tie, and a large cross on the bosom. She also has waist length blonde plaits fastened with ribbons at the ends.
The play is directed by Walter Sutcliffe ad the musical director is Sinead Hayes.
