The Threepenny Opera

How does The Threepenny Opera challenge and subvert operatic conventions in terms of structure, character development, and musical composition? Consider how Kurt Weill’s score interacts with Brecht’s lyrics to undermine expectations of beauty, sentimentality, and resolution.

How does The Threepenny Opera portray gender roles and the commodification of women within both the capitalist economy and the criminal underworld? Analyze the characters of Polly, Jenny, and Mrs. Peachum in relation to societal expectations of women in the early 20th century.

Consider the play’s setting of Victorian London. In what ways is The Threepenny Opera an accurate evocation of this time and place? How does Brecht adapt the setting to suit his own purposes?

How does The Threepenny Opera reflect on the tension between performance and reality, particularly in its ending?

Discuss whether the play ultimately presents revolution and social change as achievable or merely another form of performance.

Watch an adaptation of The Threepenny Opera, whether on YouTube or in-person. How does the production compare to Brecht’s script?

Compare and contrast Bertolt Brecht’s use of Marxist theory in The Threepenny Opera with another work of political theater. How do the theatrical techniques and ideological messages of both plays engage with issues of class struggle and economic injustice?

Compare and contrast Macheath with Jonathan Peachum in terms of their relationship with power and survival. How do their different approaches to capitalism reflect Brecht’s critique of economic and social structures in the Weimar Republic?