Theatre: The Threepenny Opera

By Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill

The Berliner Ensemble

Directed and designed by Robert Wilson

His Majesty’s Theatre

Until February 11

For Robert Wilson, the celebrated American director and polymath, The Threepenny Opera is a canvas of unparalleled potential upon which to paint huge expanses of history, politics, thought and culture, and the result is a thrilling, beautifully defined piece of theatrical high art.

Wilson’s techniques arise from his belief that each element of theatre is equally important, so a prop or a lighting change, the movement of scenery or an actor’s finger is as significant as the narrative; a tiny sound effect as vital as a song.

This demands a phenomenal attention to detail, and the painstaking creation of space and hierarchies of sensation, so everything that happens or can be experienced is defined and able to register clearly.

It’s a process that needs time to deliver, and time for an audience to decipher; the rewards don’t come immediately, but they are very great indeed.

Link here to the complete review in The West Australian