Drama Coursework

Drama Coursework- Performance Review Essay Makwacha Hip Hopera, originally The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht is a comical and modern version of the text. The adaptation was very cleverly devised by Nanzikambe using the original version for structure and plot but taking on a modern Malawian theme. Set in our own hometown-Blantyre, the audience could easily relate to the characters and overall plot, making it enjoyable and easy to follow. The play revolves around Polly, a young British girl who falls in love at first sight with, and later secretly marries, Panga knife Mac, a highly wanted Malawian gangster and womanizer. However her Malawian parents (who adopted her) strongly disapprove of the marriage as they know of Macs criminal reputation and desperately want to get him arrested- which eventually happens. Wily Russell is using classic element of tragedy from literature and bringing them together in a modern way. The first impression that we get of Mrs Johnstone is that she is a mother so cruel who gave her baby away and has a stone in place of a heart this is so that as we go through the play our opinion of her can change. Willy Russell wants this judging of Mrs Johnstone (the main character) to take place since the narrator says; Bring her on and judge for yourself, How she came to play this part This means that the play can now act as a trial for Mrs Johnstone. Instantly we go to a contrast with the idea of Mrs Johnstone being cruel because, in the next scene she is shown as a strong, happy character who is sexier than Marilyn Monroe all the way through the play we see Mrs Johnstone being strongly compared to Marilyn Monroe, a sex icon who led a happy life but eventually died lonely, this is another hint that there is tragedy looming at the end of the play. However Marilyn Monroe died childless and since Mrs Johnstone has lots of children she might be able to avoid the lonely death that awaited Marilyn Monroe. The song about Mrs Johnstones, as well as introducing the idea of Marilyn Monroe demonstrates the importance of dancing in Mrs Johnstones life. And we went dancing, We went dancing I think that dancing in Mrs Johnstones life is a metaphor for sexual activity (which is important to her) as one of the following lines is And then of course I found that I was six weeks overdue I think that her dancing also represents her freedom as when she is pregnant she is deprived of it no more dancing. As the song progresses we find the by the age of twenty five Mrs Johnstone has, Seven hungry mouths to feed And one more nearly due (she thinks) And that her husband he walked out on me. At the end of the song we go to a scene with Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons and we see a strong contrast between the two characters. Mrs Johnstone is single while Mrs Lyons is married but her husband is Away all the time. Although Mrs Johnstone is poor and Mrs Lyons has lots o money Mrs Johnstone is the happy one because she has lots of children and she loves the bones of every one of them and they complete her life whereas Mrs Lyons cant have kids (Mrs Johnstone cant stop having them) and her husband wont adopt, A Doll'S House Argumentative EssayMr Lyons wants his own kids Not somebody elses The fact that she can not have kids makes her incomplete and she makes up for this by buying material items such as new shoes. Also, after we find out that Mrs Johnstone is expecting twins we see that Mrs Lyons is clever and manipulative enough to convince Mrs Johnstone to give up one of her babies by saying the welfare are already on to you and surely it is better to give one of your babies to me. As soon as she gets Mrs Johnstone to agree she makes her swear on the holy bible, to seal the pact. This is one of the examples of superstition, a strong theme that runs throughout the play. Other contrasts between Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone are that Mrs Johnstone is forced to work while Mrs Lyons only job is that of housewife and she employs a cleaner to do the housework for her, which poses the question what does she do with all her time? she goes shopping. Mrs Lyons has great power over Mrs Johnstones life, as she is able to fire her at any time I think that it would be better if you left While Mrs Johnstone is powerless. This is ironic because as the play progresses Mrs Lyons becomes paranoid and mentally unstable Up on the hill theres a woman gone mad While Mrs Johnstone, despite being poor and working class remains mentally sound and strong. Mrs Lyons paranoia is strong enough to drive her to use a lethal looking kitchen knife to try and stab Mrs Johnstone.