A teeming Soho street in 1910. Beggars, thieves, prostitutes. Mack the Knife strolls through, swishing his cane. His old army friend, Tiger Brown, chief of police, makes plans for the forthcoming Coronation. The Peachums, organisers of London's begging monopoly, try to protect their daughter, Polly, who, alas has caught Mack's eye. Jazz, catchy popular tunes and the tango fizz through the electric music played by a versatile, 8-piece band. The acid lyrics etch through the sentiment and question the morals of capitalism. While property is theft, love is pure, even among thieves. This production was inspired during an exchange started by Tate Modern in 1999. A worker from Berlin's Neighbourhoods Museum, which is based in the famous 1920's film studios UFA, was researching community regeneration projects in Southwark. The Tates Community outreach officer suggested a meeting between 1st Framework and UFA. Since then the two organisations have organised three exchange visits between 40 intergenerational learners. On each trip the participants visit innovative projects made by social entrepreneurs in both cities. The Threepenny Opera project gives both organisations the opportunity to make a project together. This project will end its tour in Berlin's UFA Fabrik. The famous German film studios which produced classic German cinema including The Blue Angel starring Marlene Dietrich. UFA Fabrik is also where DW Pabst made the original film versions of Threepenny Opera with Brecht and Weill in 1922 (one French, one German the English version was abandoned early in the filming). This production is unique in that it is true to the 1920's film script, which has a dramatically different ending to the play. Brecht and Weill re-worked the ending for the film. In the film the beggars succeed in disrupting the Coronation procession, while Mac is in prison Polly buys an old city bank with the gangs 'takings', Mac escapes from prison with his Bail, Tiger Brown looses his job as chief of Police and joins them on the Board of the Bank, as do the Peachums. It is Directed by Peter Avery and will be the world premiere of a new score containing original material never played before recently released by the Kurt Weill Foundation in New York. It is conducted By Tom Hammond, Director of The Helios Sinfonia who have performed most recently for The Princes Trust and St Johns Smith Square. Tom will shortly conduct another world premiere in The Royal Opera House Main Studio of Danish composers Brent Sorenson's latest opera. The Threepenny Opera is made by a core team of intergenerational learners from London Dessau and Berlin, it provides employment for a promising group of young people in the creative industries, participation for older people and volunteering opportunities. From November 2001 to September 2002 the core team will rehearse in English & German studios during a series of workshop exchanges in England and Germany. In each borough the core team will work with local choirs, dance and drama groups to incorporate them into the final performance as 'guest artistes' making up the smaller parts, playing the gang, beggars and whores. The locations for the performances in London were chosen specifically for their resonance with Mac The Knifes London. particularly Bishopsgate Goods Yard in the heart of the City of London, a vast underground complex of railway arches reaching from London's financial district to the East End's Brick Lane. This extraordinary forgotten underground world of Victorian London site is the fourth oldest railway structure in the world. It was re-opened to the public for short term use in March 2000. The above ground warehouses were burnt to the ground by a notorious East End gang fight in 1964. The final location in Berlin where Brecht's film version was first shown will be equally evocative.