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“Filled with great humour and pathos, beautiful and surprising music, memorable characters and many terrific performances, The Convict’s Opera is an absolute must see” – The Australian Stage
Bursting with infamy, intrigue, fun and romance, the classic musical comedy gets a fantastic re-imagining from director Max Stafford-Clark and writer Stephen Jeffreys (The Libertine).
On a creaking ship a group of convicts are ordered to put on a show set in the criminal underworld of 18th century London that they’ve left far behind, never to see again – a world packed with such larger than life characters as highwayman Macheath and his lover sweet Polly Peachum.
Cue stormy seas (and stormy scenes), reluctant cross-dressing, and a musical score that combines the beautiful folk tunes of the original with hilarious reworkings of modern classics including “Sailing”, “Those Were The Days”, “500 Miles”, “You’re So Vain”, and “I Fought the Law”.
A very special theatre event, co-produced by two of the world’s foremost companies: UK favourites Out of Joint, and Sydney Theatre Company, with a cast of talented actor musicians drawn from both ends of the Earth.
Director Max Stafford-Clark; Music arranged by Felix Cross
Set Designer Dale Ferguson; Costume Designer Tess Schofield
Lighting designer: Nick Schlieper; Sound designer: Paul Charlier
Assistant director Iain Sinclair; Associate director Clare Lizzimore