Threepenny Novel by Bertolt Brecht. Short summary

5 seconds

At the fairgrounds of London’s Soho district, a street singer begins his musical tale of the adventures of a bandit who has managed to become a legend among all the residents of the area — Mackey-Nose.

1 minute

In the Soho district of the United Kingdom’s capital city, the fair is in full swing. People are strolling around the square, buying fruit and other fair goods.

At the same fair there is a street singer who plays various musical ballads, for which he receives an extra coin. The singer’s roster also includes a musical story about a bandit who is the de facto leader of SoHo, Mackey the Knife. Though Mackey has no seat in the borough government, his word is law to the citizens of SoHo, unlike the regulations and acts of the borough leadership.

Among the audience was the hero of the ballad himself. Mackey plans to marry Polly Peach, who happens to be the daughter of a criminal mastermind who wields enormous influence with the lowly classes.

With the help of underhanded and stolen luxury goods, she manages to arrange suitable conditions for the wedding. Unable to prevent the wedding, Polly’s father decides to get rid of Mackey with the help of the police.