The water from the baths is contaminated. This is a truth learned early on in Henrik Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People,” translated from Norwegian to English by Paul Walsh, Professor of Dramaturgy at Yale University.
The stage is beautifully set in the Yulman Theatre, and the mood of the play is established in a slow burn—there is an air of lightheartedness, then unease and finally desperation and disillusionment.
Strewn throughout is comic relief that highlights the absurd nature of certain characters’ decisions and motivations.
Dr. Stockmann, played splendidly by Etienne-Marcel Giannelli ’20, is the play’s central character, but not necessarily its protagonist.
The lines between good and evil are murky in this story.
There is an underlying conflict between idealism and pragmatism: Dr. Stockmann wants to make the public aware of evidence that the water in the town’s resort baths is hazardous to the health of its patrons.
His brother, the Mayor, played by the stoic Zachary Baum ’18, sees the move as detrimental to the town’s economy and therefore attempts to withhold information.
Various other entities sway in their allegiances including the editor of the local newspaper, played by Nathan Oasis ’21, Aslaksen, the president of the Homeowner’s Association, played by Haoyu (John) Jiang ’21, Dr. Stockmann’s motherin- law Marte Kiil, played by Jay Issacs ’19, and the townspeople who represent the ever-changing public opinion.
By the end of the play, there is no clear winner or loser (although Dr. Stockmann and his family certainly lose more than others).
Perhaps this is because neither party—the righteous doctor nor the calculating mayor—are willing to compromise, let alone empathize.
The character who shows the greatest depth of consideration is Mrs. Stockmann, played by Sophie Hurwitz ‘21, as she tries to curtail the rash behavior of her husband but ultimately stands by his side regardless.
The entity that deserves the most blame is possibly Marte Kiil and her tanneries which are revealed to be the source of the water contamination. Or are these classifications too limiting?
As Marcus Dean Fuller points out in his director’s note, Ibsen does not provide his audience with easy answers, nor does he lead us to a specific conclusion.
The enemy could very well be the media’s eagerness to push a narrative that “sells” but isn’t true, the mayor’s willingness to put the town’s image above the public good or even Dr. Stockmann’s standoffish nature that alienates the public.
The enemy doesn’t have to be one thing; there can be multiple factors that contribute to a negative situation.
This point especially resonates in our current political climate, whether that be on campus or on a national stage—society has become much too quick to point the blame at one group/individual without looking deeper into the heart of matters at hand.
Though it may not make for sensational headlines, and it may not be in the interest of tired old government officials, we must demand transparency and be advocates for the public good.
Dr. Stockmann’s biggest mistake is that he did not place enough of an importance on the support of the general public.
He thought the battle for clean water was him against the world. This mindset can only propel us backwards, but creating dialogue with others can lead to unexpected, welcome allegiances.
The Department of Theatre and Dance here at Union put on a splendid production.
There is much that lingered in the mind of theater-goers as they exited Yulman, as evidenced by the wealth of conversation that could be heard as people filed out.
In addition, the Department brought the production to life with the inclusion of posters outside the theater where guests could respond to questions relating to the themes presented in the play.
There were also water bottles left on each seat in the theater with cleverly-designed labels warning audience members to drink at their own risk that contributed towards setting the mood of the production.
After Thursday’s perfomance, translator of this version of the play Professor Paul Walsh held a talk back where he discussed “An Enemy of the People” and his translation process.
“An Enemy of the People” served to be one of the theatre department’s most unique productions of the academic year, leaving audience members on the edge of their seats for next year.