The Threepenny Opera at the Berliner Ensemble

Barrie Kosky’s interpretation of The Threepenny Opera (libretto by Bertolt Brecht, music by Kurt Weill) transforms the story into an urban ballet about people searching for happiness in a functional, sober world. They are afraid of being crushed. But this possibility lurks in a system that only knows winners and losers. So, Mack the Knife, Peachum and Co. are forced to first and foremost look out for themselves, and they go to extreme lengths to do so, setting aside any scruples while at the same time covering up and even sugarcoating their actions. For who doesn’t want to be seen to be good?