Ibsen’s ‘Enemy of the People’ still timely in Wright State’s hands
Today’s headlines are driven by talk of environmental emergencies, freedom of the press and political maneuvering, but these issues also fuel Arthur Miller’s 1950 adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 drama “An Enemy of the People,” slated Feb. 21-March 1 in Wright State University’s Herbst Theatre.
The first play in Western drama to address pollution and the environment, “An Enemy of the People” is set in a small Norwegian town experiencing a great surge in fame and finances thanks to its medicinal spring waters. When Dr. Thomas Stockmann discovers a possible toxic contamination in the water, his courageous decision to speak up puts him at odds with the community, including his brother Peter, the mayor, who counterattacks.
“‘An Enemy of the People’ is one of the most pertinent plays this department and I have ever done,” said director W. Stuart McDowell, artistic director of WSU’ s Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures. “This well-written play is amazing, astonishing and electrifying. It deals with family, which all good drama does, as well as (issues) about the town, the government, the press and the environment.
“The central focus of the story is the pollution of a river that is going to ruin the economy of a small town and the town just won’t believe it. They fight the truth.”
Considering McDowell’s previous directorial assignments dabbling in topical issues of immigration (“Fiddler on the Roof ”), community (“1913: The Great Dayton Flood”), conspiracies (“The Crucible”), and revolution (“Les Misérables”) “An Enemy of the People” rests comfortably within his wheelhouse. He’s excited to stage a work highlighting important perspectives currently being debated across the globe, giving credence to the fact that the play, which notably inspired Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel “Jaws,” is far from a relic.
“This play speaks to things we are fighting today, such as climate denial and getting the press and the government to admit the truth,” said McDowell, who will stage the show in the round and incorporate Academy Award-winning composer Hildur Guonadóttir’s (“Joker”) Emmyand Grammy-winning music from the HBO series “Chernobyl” as underscore.
“The politics and personal issues, especially the moral courage to speak the truth when confronted with a majority, is happening today. Sometimes the majority gets it wrong.”
“For better or worse, politics is complicated,” said Nick Martin, a senior acting major who portrays Dr. Stockmann and whose previous credits include Mal Beineke in “The Addams Family” and a breakthrough portrayal of Joe Pitt in “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches.”
“In this production, we’re emphasizing how the issue of pollution should be morally cut and dry, but it isn’t necessarily black and white. When it comes to the issue of what’s best for the town, for the world, people have their different opinions and ideas about – even to this day. That’s why the show is so impactful. No matter what side of the fence you stand on (regarding) political, social or environmental issues, everyone has a different idea about what’s best and how to handle the situation.”
In addition, Martin admires Dr. Stockmann’s willingness to be an agent for change, but is also quick to acknowledge the character’s shortcomings.
“His heart is in the right place, but his head isn’t always in the right place,” he said. “His discovery blows up into something bigger than he intended it to be, a big sociopolitical issue which, at the end of the day, is no longer about what he originally wanted it to be about – the water. He didn’t think everything through before speaking publicly and he gets himself into trouble.”
The principal cast includes Will Graber as Peter Stock- mann, Hailey Marshall as Catherine Stockmann,
Annika Whetstone as Petra Stockmann, Christopher Well as Billing, Cole Frasher as Aslaksen, Louie Kurtzman as Hofstad, Aidan Lord as Morten Kiil, Jake Siwek as Captain Horster, Matthew Shanahan as Eilif Stockmann, Mikey Fried as Morten Stockmann, and Dylan Roll as The Drunk. Ensemble members include Kyle Channell, Xiao Denker, Branden Fisher, Chap Hollin, Theo Karras, Kevin Lausch, Alex Tisher, Abby Bookman, Abby Choi, Amanda Jacobson, Alexis Muhlenkamp, Brie Parsons, Nick Salazar, and Sydney Freihofer.
Ibsen, who also wrote such classics as “A Doll’s House,” “Ghosts” and “Hedda Gabler,” famously noted, “I am still uncertain as to whether I should call ‘An Enemy of the People’ a comedy or a straight drama. It may have many traits of comedy, but it also is based on a serious idea.”
Whether comedy or drama, the timeless play, according to Martin, maintains a strong core due to Ibsen’s concept and Miller’s language.
“The age of the play is all the more a benefit than a detriment,” he said. “The fact that it’s so easy to follow with an inherent, ageold wisdom of nearly 140 years is proof that it’s been around for a reason. It speaks to today which makes its impact even stronger.”