STRANGE noises and writhing and knifings are afoot in the deconsecrated aisles of the Franciscan Church. It’s Mac the Knife and his entourage, the celebrated villain of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s Threepenny Opera. Feted and hated by the three women who fight over him, Jenny Diver, Penny Peachum and Lucy Brown, MacHeath and henchmen such as Crooked-Finger Jake are not “back in town”, but new to Limerick.

The host party is Bare Space Theatre Company’s press launch at Franciscan Church, lit by the musical rehearsal of the drama taking place here Tuesday October 20 to Saturday 24, 8pm. It’s the premiere of this dark, funny satire in the Mid West, a show part opera, part musical and part straight theatre.

“The Threepenny Opera is a comedic satire, an extremely funny piece of writing, and you’re to tell that to all your friends,” director Dr Mike Finneran warned us all. “We have 16 very talented local actors in this ensemble and the Franciscan organ, those glorious golden pipes, are to be centrepiece to the production”.

Anticipate supreme class and cool in this 1hr 40minute show with some magnificent human pipes sounding from Jean McGlynn, the Suzanne Murphy trained Jean Wallace, professional singer Louise Brown, John Finn as a chief of police baddie and Micheál Ó’Dubhghaill as the unbloodied MacHeath.

With due nod to the property’s owner, Bonaventure Trust, those cruel pews will be moved out for upholstered seating. A raised stage will treat the 250-strong nightly audience from its platform at the front doors.

Jenny Diver is Mac the Knife’s abandoned love and rival to new wife Polly Peachum (Wallace) and another whore in their brothel, Lucy Brown (Phelan); Crooked-Finger Jake (Zeb Moore) “is hitman for Mac and I do a lot in the brothel, keeping the women under wraps”.

Plenty to keep the mind, ear and our social conscience engaged as the sacred cows of business, the law and the banks are violated by Bare Space.

Running for five nights, Tuesday October 20 to Saturday 24, the Franciscan organ will play in The Threepenny Opera at 8pm. Pictured in passionate enmity: Jean McGlynn, Mícheál Ó Dubhghaill, Louise Phelan and Jean Wallace.