Word: peachum
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...women! I love the sex," sighs Macheath the Highwayman. "I must have 'em." But they have him, for when Macheath promises marriage to Polly Peachum, Polly's Parents bribe the gentleman robber's other bawds to turn him in for the reward. Mac's other love, Lucy Lockit, frees him, only to have him recaptured. And he would hang, were it not for every opera's prescribed happy ending. Macheath escapes from Tyburn and rejoins Polly in a fullthroated choral finale...
...troupe, my favorites after Mrs. Channing were Johanna Madden (Mrs. Peachum), Jane Gratwick (Polly), Virginia Manack (Lucy), and William Hodes in the relatively minor part of Crookfinger Jake. It may be, however, that I was less impressed by Dean Gitter (Macheath) because he never gave me any reason to worry about him. He was obviously in command whenever he was on stage, and with a weaker actor in the part, the play would have limped. I didn't tune in on Arthur Friedman (Peachum) until the last act, and if I saw the play again, I'd probably like...
...highwayman Captain Macheath is our hero-villain who faces the gallows. In a moment of passionate indiscretion he has married Polly Peachum, and now the greedy Mr. Peachum turns his daughter's situation to his own advantage. With the treacherous aid of Macheath's lovely women, Peachum captures our hero and delivers him, for the reward, to Newgate Prison. The Captain's other wife, Lucy Lockit, frees him, but in another moment of indiscretion he is captured again, this time by both Mr. Lockit and Mr. Peachum. The Captain should hang, and in a tragedy he would hang, but this...
...opera is full of scene stealers, but Emily Levine, as Mrs. Peachum, is the biggest thief of the lot. Her bulging eyes, arched body, piercing voice, and hilariously affected manner make her the center of attention even when she is saying nothing. She is blustering one moment, cooing the next all the time revelling in her over-played comedy. Judith Press plays a fiery, buxom Lucy with the same touch of humor...
...rich, pleasing voices. Richard Backus, as Locket, is the male counterpart of Miss Levine, a slapstick scene stealer with a comically mobile face. Unfortunately awkward, for he seems unsure of himself, stumbling over his lines and stiffly declaiming his songs. Still, he scowls enough to make an adequately evil Peachum...