Set in a small Norwegian spa town, Ibsen's AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE is about Doctor Thomas Stockmann, a man of principles who discovers that the spa's water is poisoned. He naively expects the mayor to greet the truth with gratitude, but the town's political machine will brook no threat to its prosperity, even if it means letting thousands of people be sickened. Doctor Stockmann becomes a whistleblower, and the public campaign against him mounts, setting up a moral battle between a lone truth teller and a society desperate for self-preservation.
Surely not the Ibsen, which aligns closely with their views and is a distant source of them. (The play was first performed, as “En Folkefiende,” in 1883.) Nor does it make sense that they would object to Sam Gold’s crackling and persuasive production, which drove those views home despite having to regroup once the protesters were ejected.
No doubt fans of Succession, The Sopranos, and The White Lotus will be flocking to the Circle in the Square to see Strong and Imperioli do their thing in such close quarters. And they will not be disappointed. The actors are tremendous and completely lose themselves in the parts. But as audiences file out of the theater, they may also find themselves confronting some much thornier issues — issues that 140 years and thousands of miles have not dulled in the least. A–
Digital Lottery:
Price: $39
Where: https://rush.telecharge.com/
When: The digital lottery opens at 12AM ET one day before the performance.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Winners are drawn at 10AM ET and 3PM ET that same day. Lottery tickets may be for any location, including standing room.
Videos