The Beggar’s Opera

In 1728 John Gay’s ‘The Beggar’s Opera’ became an overnight success in it satire of politics and society and of course groundbreaking new form which essentially created the musical genre. Told by a troupe of 1980’s would-be political activists fired up with anti-Thatcher sentiment using John Gay’s satire as a platform for their views The Beggar’s Opera of course has more than a few echoes with the Britain of today.

This brand new production from Paris’s Theatre des Bouffes du Nord, resident company at the 2018 International Festival, has been created by two commanding figures across international stages. With an eminent international cast of actor-singers, plus period musicians from Les Arts Florissants, this brand new, contemporary take on Gay’s work delves deeply into the opera’s pungent world of dark wit and double standards – a Beggar’s Opera very much for our own turbulent times. The Beggar’s Opera is part of the residency of the Theatre des Bouffes du Nord at the 2018 International Festival.

Part of Edinburgh International Festival