Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jeremy Strong leads the captivating Broadway revival of Ibsen’s still relevant AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE

• By drediman
• April 1, 2024
• No Comments

One of the big hits of the spring theater season thus far has been the captivating Broadway revival of Henrik Ibsen’s still relevant An Enemy of the People. Staged persuasively at Circle in the Square as if at a town hall meeting, the play concerns one Dr. Thomas Stockmann, a doctor and idealist — if hapless politician — who finds himself on the other side of public opinion when he uncovers the health dangers of a spa his town plans to financially benefit from.

The revival’s effectiveness is attributable first and foremost to Amy Herzog’s new English version of the classic play (the playwright also penned last season’s translation of A Doll’s House, another Ibsen masterpiece), which crackles with clear-eyed observations and benefits from modern day colloquialism. As a study of both Stockmann and the town that he’s unintentionally antagonized — particularly as embodied by the mayor of the town (who also happens to be his brother) — the play registers as a harrowing comedy of manners that ends on a tragic, sobering note. Like Herzog’s adaptation, the staging by director Sam Gold — who seems can do no wrong at Circle in the Square, where he previously staged the Tony-winning musical Fun Home — exudes both period detail and the urgency and visceral explosiveness of hard-hitting contemporary debates. Most importantly, both Herzog and Gold have the uncanny ability of bridging Ibsen’s 19th century concerns to our own, often times jarringly (which seems by design).

As typical of Gold’s productions, the acting throughout is carefully and thoughtfully considered. The revival is headlined by Jeremy Strong, who will not disappoint his Succession fans in the central role of Dr. Stockmann. It’s an impassioned performance that’s at once inspiring and maddening — exactly as it should be. As his primary nemesis, Michael Imperioli as the mayor is a dynamic counterbalance to Strong’s gnawing performance. As the Doctor’s level-headed daughter, Victoria Pedretti provides welcome respite from the combustibility of it all.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE
Broadway, Play
Circle in the Square Theatre
2 hours (with one pause)
Through June 16