NEW YORK—Playwright David Harrower’s terse version of Henrik Ibsen’s classic “Enemy of the People” moves swiftly through its tale of morals and politics. Each character embodies a different viewpoint on the question of whether the truth should be told at any cost.
That the play does not dissolve into simply a fable of generalities is a tribute to both Ibsen and Harrower.
A small, unnamed town boasts healing waters—a new spa. The town looks forward to an upcoming prosperous season with visitors flocking to it. However, water testing by Chief Medical Officer Thomas Stockmann (Jimonn Cole) has shown the water to be infested with toxic bacteria, dangerous for drinking or bathing.
Stockmann feels the spa must be closed down for repairs and informs Mayor Peter Stockmann (Guisseppe Jones), who happens also to be his brother. All hell breaks loose as the mayor points out that the town’s economy would be destroyed.
At first Stockmann is viewed as a hero for having made this crucial discovery. But he learns that there are many ramifications that may prove negative.
Hovstad (Robbie Tann), editor of the town’s newspaper, The Reformer, wants to immediately publish Stockmann’s report. The printer, Aslaksen (John Keating), takes a more conservative view: They must go easy so as not to alarm the citizens. The mayor is up in arms: The report must be squelched, he insists.
These negative attitudes seem only to spur Stockmann onward in his insistence of truth-telling. His wife (Nilaja Sun) at first wavers, reminding her husband that he has responsibilities to his two young sons.
Another fly in the ointment is Mrs. Stockmann’s father, the wealthy Morten Kiil (Dominic Cuskern), who executes a devious business deal that would enrich Stockmann if he would go along with it, or ruin him if he refuses. If the moral Stockmann accepts the deal, the town would be ruined.
Ultimately, a town meeting occurs in which people’s basic weakness takes over. There are crises and more crises for Stockmann and his family. His daughter Petra (Arielle Goldman), a schoolteacher, is fired.
Throughout, Stockmann refuses to relinquish his ideals and claims that he is the strongest man in the world because he stands alone.
Potent questions are posed. Can one live a life without compromise? Do hypocrisy and deceit rule the world? These questions appear to be universal and ongoing. One needs only follow the rather bizarre events of the current presidential election campaign and then hope that basic goodness and common sense will win out.
Under Hal Brooks’s attentive direction the actors perform well, with Nilaja Sun, John Keating, and Arielle Goldman being standouts. Others in the cast are Alex Purcell, Carol Schultz, Alex Haynes, and David Vino.
Harry Feiner’s spare set is admirable as is the unusual sound design by Jane Shaw.
‘Public Enemy’
The Pearl Theatre Company
555 W. 42nd St.
Tickets: 212-563-9261 or PearlTheatre.org
Running Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes (no intermission)
Closes: Nov. 6
Diana Barth writes on the arts for various publications including New Millennium. She may be contacted at [email protected]
