A young man who visits Peachum’s shop “The Beggar’s Friend” in hopes of purchasing clothes and accessories that will help him be a more successful beggar. He makes a deal with Peachum, as the play implies a significant number of London’s beggars have, to give the man a percentage of his revenue in exchange for permission to panhandle in certain sectors of the city. Filch is introduced early on in order to set up for audiences the world of this play—one in which nothing, not even begging, comes free. Filch expresses loyalty to Peachum even though the man transparently takes advantage of him, demonstrating just how low the characters within the play have to stoop just to get by in such a greedy, corrupt, capitalistic world.
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Filch Character Timeline in The Threepenny Opera
The timeline below shows where the character Filch appears in The Threepenny Opera. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, Scene 1
Someone knocks on the door. Peachum opens it, and a young man called Filch enters. He delivers a sob story about having been neglected by his drunkard mother and...
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Filch offers Peachum ten shillings. Peachum demands that plus a percentage of Filch’s weekly earnings. Finch...
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As Filch gives in and changes behind a screen, Peachum works to add stains to another outfit...
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...scar. Mrs. Peachum asks how her husband knows all this, but before he can answer, Filch comes out from behind the screen, thanking Peachum for the clothes. Peachum tells him to...
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Act 3, Scene 1
...women their fees, stating that Macheath has vanished once again. Mrs. Peachum tries to get Filch to push the women out, but when they raise a ruckus, Peachum comes in and...
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Peachum urges Filch to go to the police station and tell them that Macheath is with Suky Tawdry....
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Filch returns to report that there are a large group of policemen on their way to...
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