Out of Joint and Sydney Theatre Company present
The Convict’s Opera
by Stephen Jeffreys, adapted from John Gay's The Beggar's Opera 2008
On a ship bound for Australia, a group of convicts are ordered to put on a show set in the criminal underworld of 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”, “ThoseWere The Days”, “500 Miles”, “You’re So Vain”, and “I Fought the Law”.
A Convict’s Opera was co-produced by Out of Joint and Sydney Theatre Company, premiering in Sydney before a UK tour.
REVIEWS
“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
CAST & CREATIVES
Cast: Amelia Cormack, Peter Cousens, Glenn Butcher, Thomas Eyre, Karina Fernandez, Nicholas Goode, Juan Jackson, Ali McGregor, Brian Protheroe, Catherine Russell.
Director: Max Stafford-Clark
Music arrangement: 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
PERFORMANCES
Sydney Theatre, Australia
30 Sept to 25 Oct 2008
15-24 Jan 2009
Salisbury Playhouse
27-31 Jan 2009
Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
3-7 Feb 2009
Library Theatre, Manchester
10-14 Feb 2009
Oxford Playhouse
17-21 Feb 2009
Nuffield Theatre, Southampton
24-28 Feb 2009
West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds
3-7 March 2009
Warwick Arts Centre
10-14 March 2009
Liverpool Playhouse