Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen - Review
Ibsen's Stance on Individuality and the Loneliness of Morality
Sep 12, 2008
The Connelly Theatre presents Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People at The Connelly Theatre at 220 East 4th Street.
Ibsen’s Setup
Doctor Stockmann (John Lenartz), doctor of the town, makes a fearful discovery that the spa baths the town uses as a primary income source are contaminated with bacteria seeping in from local industry. Being a man of science, he immediately pounces on the idea and prepares to make the people aware. Into the mix come his brother the Mayor (Joseph Menino), the local press editor Hovstad (Tom Escovar), the people’s "moderate" spokesman Aslaksen (Michael Surabian), as well as the doctor’s family and several other characters.
An Enemy of the People
Everything starts swimmingly, with the press and the people’s voice behind the doctor. Stockmann himself is an enigmatic, boisterous man and unfortunately, he has no qualms about stepping on toes. He has a bloated, arrogant streak that begins to rub people the wrong way, though he truly feels he will help his community with the truth. There’s the problem.
His brother the Mayor is convinced it will bring the town to ruin and it would be better to keep quiet than to shut down the operation. When Mayor Stockmann presents his insinuated threats to Hovstad and Aslaksen, they soon sway in their staunch convictions. One by one (except for his family) the doctor’s allies go to the wayside. Still he refuses to recant, threatening the very balance of not only his family but also the town. Soon, the thronging masses that don’t even know the story are against him, making him An Enemy of the People.
As the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble presents…
The performance, which started September 3rd and runs through the 20th, is unfortunately unbalanced. In almost every scene, someone is overacting, over emphasizing their lines, or being put in a awkward spot in the blocking. The stage feels a bit cramped, with overly large set pieces and a very basic backdrop. The unfortunate up-and-down feeling never goes away, and even with the very good (Menino) to the questionable (Kelli Holsopple as Petra the doctor’s daughter) we never get the feeling that the actors are totally comfortable with their lines.
Lenartz is impressive in his turn as the doctor for the sheer weight of the role, and he hits the doctor’s faults quite well; but he never for a second turns down the volume. For two-and-a-half hours he runs around the stage, with sweeping gestures and a bellow in his voice that unfortunately loses its gravity when that’s all that you have heard for over two hours.
Still, scenes such as the one in the newspaper are admirable for their strength, and Ibsen’s immaculate text holds firm both in this production and for modern times in general. The message here, that the solitary man will be made the enemy by the mindless flock, will always hold true in our society; that and the truth that sometimes going it alone is the lonely but true path that must be taken. If everyone passes on being the enemy, how will we ever know the truth?
The verdict? A great space, a fine play, a well intended but semi-floundering production at the price of only $20 ($15 with student ID). It won’t be the most memorable play you’ll ever see, but Ibsen’s fantastic text will engross you through the highs and the lows.
