It should come as no surprise that Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People is having a moment, with new adaptations currently playing in both New York and London. Written over a hundred years ago, the play explores an issue of profound relevance, the potentially fatal consequences when townspeople willfully reject a scientific discovery that threatens their economic interests and entrenched beliefs.
Unlike the disappointingly generic Uncle Vanya also playing now in New York, this production of An Enemy of the People is clearly set in the past, in 19th century Norway, and, just as clearly, gives room for us to imagine its contemporary resonance.
A few of the things I loved about this new production at Circle in the Square:
- Jeremy Strong, leaving behind his persona as anxious, power-driven Kendall Roy to become something closer to Anthony Fauci—a naïve doctor unable to imagine the political forces that will rise up against him.
- Michael Imperioli, no longer the impulsive Christopher Moltisanti of The Sopranos, but the savvy and menacing mayor of the town who engineers the doctor’s downfall.
- Amy Herzog’s brisk and thoughtful new adaptation.
- The atmospheric Norwegian folk music played by actors and extras during scene changes, as well as the wonderfully specific Norwegian set, complete with rosemaling and nearly a dozen oil lamps casting a cozy light.
- And not least, the bar that magically descends to the stage during the brief interval, along with an invitation to audience members to come join the cast for a shot of aquavit.
