Threepenny Opera
Paul Davis
1976
DIMENSIONS
81 x 41 in. (205.7 x 104.1 cm)
OBJECT NUMBER
PH.6614
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
United States
CREDIT LINE
Poster House Permanent Collection
KEYWORDS
-

Paul Davis’s image of Raul Julia as the infamous “Mack the Knife” in the Bertolt Brecht/Kurt Weill classic is both confrontational and arresting, blending elements of Socialist Realism with those of 19th-century portraiture. Unlike most theater advertising, this poster did not mention the stars, the director, or even that it was part of the Shakespeare Festival. We are only offered a title dripping blood and the location of the performance. This unusual decision was made by Papp, who wanted the posters to convey a sense of each play rather than merely sell tickets, understanding that the images would long outlast the productions. When Poster House moved into our building, a copy of this poster had been glued to the back wall by TekServe, the previous tenant.

For inquiries about image licensing, please contact collections@posterhouse.org.

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