THE pioneering 1930s musical which spawned the timeless classic Mack the Knife, the biggest ever selling song about a serial killer, is coming to Birmingham.

Brecht and Weill's The Threepenny Opera mined a deep seam of poverty, hard times and corruption to tell the story of newlyweds Macheath and Polly Peachum and the groom's battle to dodge the gallows after a suspected killing spree.

And 85 years after the play gained controversy and acclaim in first Germany then across the world the Birmingham Repertory Theatre is staging the production as part of its Spring 2014 season.

The theatre has teamed up with disabled led theatre company Graeae and the co-production will be the first fully integrated production of Threepenny Opera ever performed.

Jenny Sealey, artistic director of Graeae and who directed the Paralympic Games opening ceremony, said: “The Threepenny Opera is a glorious theatrical challenge where our truly unique motley crew whom have been marginalised or dismissed by society create their own world to tell the story from their perspective with punch, panache and passion. "The narrative is painfully timely given the economic and political situation so it really is a production to be seen by anyone who despairs the world in which we live in but marvels at the resilience of human nature."

With live music played onstage by the actors themselves, delivering a score with songs that include Mack the Knife and Pirate Jenny, The Threepenny Opera is a riotous musical comedy that audiences will be begging to see.

A spokesman for The Birmingham Rep said: "Using live audio description, a creative combination of BSL interpretation and captioning and an integrated cast of disabled and non-disabled performers, the co-directors, Jenny Sealey and Peter Rowe will bring their unique combination of theatrical passion to this modern classic."

The Threepenny Opera is at the Birmingham Rep from Thursday, March 27 until Saturday, April 12.

For more information visit www.birmingham-rep.co.uk or phone 0121 236 4455.