Pittsburgh has had a surge of adaptations of classics from the ‘Realism’ era of plays when attentions turned to the working class, language was more direct and common, and we were invited into homes and rooms rather than imaginations and myths. Realism seems like a fitting lens to understand how I review a play or anything really, versus trained professionals.
‘The Seagull’ ‘Miss Julie‘ and now ‘An Enemy of the People’ have been staged by three different companies in the past year, leaving this blogger to wonder if there’s a significant message of these works connecting to our modern travails? Yes, I know Miss Julie is more typically consider a Naturalist play, but … they are tied together.
‘An Enemy of the People’ explores the price of doing the right thing, amidst economic, political, and social forces swaying people from one side to another. It is a timely question as America grapples with the consequences of our failings during the COVID epidemic, the literal return of the politician who trampled common sense during a health crisis now building on that power to trample on people and the Constitution. Our waters are poisoned and the tanneries still seep into the fabric of our community.
This is absolutely a play for Pittsburgh.
In a quaint Nordic town at the end of the 19th century, the extended Stockmann family is involved in the launch of a healing spa. Dr. Thomas Stockmann conceived the idea and is employed by the spa’s investors. His brother and town Mayor Peter brought the project to fruition. Thomas’ daughter Petra is a local school teacher and connected with young local intellectuals. His young son Ejlef is never onstage, but referenced many times. Also, we meet the Dr’s father-in-law who owns one of the tanneries that have provided employment for many years.
Dr. Stockmann is a man of science and principle. He comes to believe the spa waters may be compromised and runs tests, discovering a bacteria that will cause typhoid, sickening and killing many people. He wants to rush to tell everyone and stop the pending ‘opening season’ of the spa to prevent a health crisis. His brother, the Mayor, acknowledges the science, but resists what he considers a drastic solution because of the impact on town’s economy.
Thomas’ daughter Petra supports her father’s progressive ideas as she struggles to find her footing as a woman who wants more than what society thinks it appropriate.
The local newspaperman proclaims himself a radical, but turns on dime when his experiment in journalism is threatened financially. His younger employee, also a radical, also turns quickly on his professed beliefs. Both claim disdain for the ruling elite, but the facade crumbles when they realize their futures are tied to the status quo. They are dependent on the benevolence of the oligarchs and the ignorance of the common folx. A third character is an avowed moderate who makes no attempts to hide his willingness to change his opinion when he gets new information or new influences. He’s not so much honest as not deceptive.
The newspaper editor professes to be from the nearby towns where misery dwells amongst the working folx. He claims that additional taxes to pay to remediate the spa will hurt the working poor, but this isn’t really true. New taxation is going to ‘hurt’ the middle class, but typhoid will hurt everyone regardless of socio-economic status.
Underscoring the debate about public health and science is the theme of freedom – free speech, free thinking. Thomas tries to share the results of his study, but he is thwarted at every turn by his brother and the other characters. The conflict quickly turns a community meeting into a frenzied mob with the goal of silencing Thomas. In a brutal, but powerful scene, Thomas realizes his medical degree and scientific knowledge have become weaknesses. His consistent desire to do what’s best for public health is labeled as elitism. When he doesn’t back down, he’s assaulted and nearly drowned in the spa waters.
Everyone claims to speak for the people. During a critical scene, the stage becomes a lectern and the houselights draw the audience in as the townspeople. It was a very effective device.
Thomas first resolves to flee to America with his children, but after a final familial betrayal – he and Petra decide to stay to support their neighbors when typhoid hits. Petra is fired from her teaching job, decides to homeschool her younger brother and educate other young students not valued by society. The revolution continues.
One could easily fit Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Josh Shapiro, Corey O’Connor and Sarah Innamarato, not to mention Senator Fetterman into this conversation around proceeding with moderation in all things. The ongoing battle to protect residents of Clairton from poisoned water, earth, and air is a modern example of this debate.
Many attribute this adaptation to Dr. Fauci’s treatment by Trump 1.0 during the COVID crisis. While we should look back and learn, we also need to understand how that trashing of science and research and facts paved the way for the horrors currently destroying our nation.
Where is the person who will take action for the actual common good?
Missing, however, are the fierce Summer Lee’s and AOC’s, but perhaps we see their predecessor’s in Petra and her younger brother. We don’t hear from any of the actual ‘people’ of the community. Thomas tries to appeal to their capacity to think freely and process now information. The other just want to make the science stop.
Thomas is not political, a man of science and common decency. His naivete almost proves his undoing. Perhaps had he paid closer attention to politics and local economics, he would have better understood how to achieve his goal – to fix the poisoned water. The sadness is that the brothers together have the skills to navigate this situation, but corruption is ever at play.
Repeatedly, I kept thinking how the solution was quite simple, if not easy – fix the pipes. Public funds will have to be used, creating some hardship for everyone. Versus typhoid death for some? Why is this so complicated? The idea that a typical person would not understand this seems impossible. But … COVID taught up otherwise.
MJ Sieber as Dr. Thomas Stockman gives a stellar performance with big, bold speeches and enduring a physical assault that must be brutal to experience each performance. It is believable that Thomas could be so naive in large part due to Sieber’s facial expressions and wide-eyed belief that people will do the right thing. His enthusiasm for simple things like good conversations over good food is boundless. The actor reminded me of Nathan Lane and Harvey Fierstein.
Thomas constantly forgets the name of his maid, in spite of repeated reminders from Petra. That’s the critical distinction between Thomas wanting to save the neighbors and Thomas actually knowing his neighbors as individual people. He’s shocked that his brother won’t support the right thing, but tempers himself when confronted by his father-in-law, a tannery owner.
As Petra, Zanny Laird comes from a rather similar role as Louisa/Jo in the City Theater production of Little Women in late 2025. I recognized her immediately. The similarities of the characters are odd – both teach young children, both reject marriage, both adore their fathers and hold undying loyalty to their siblings. Both are defiant.
Another character I didn’t like at all was the traitorous would-be-radical Hovstad (Brett Mack) who turned out to be just like every other nerdy dude-bro. It was not shocking to realize he had also portrayed George Wickham in the City Theatre production of ‘The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley” and as Trigorin in Quantum Theater’s ‘Seagull.’ I’d like to see him play against that type in the future.
The show features two songs seemingly performed by Laird wearing beautiful traditional Nordic garb. Her skirt was gorgeous as were the uniquely tailored clothing of the male characters. Although the time frames are different, my mind wandered to the infamous nisselue, the red Nordic hat that has taken on such a visible role in resisting ICE. There are several scenes where a male character’s hat becomes the focus of derision and standing. Those bits and pieces struck me as perhaps not linear but a worldly connection.
Sam Lothard was steadfast as the Captain, Garbie Dukes as Aslaksen was quite a character, perhaps the only one who did not contort himself without full-disclosure. The always impressive Martin Giles as ‘The Grandfather’ – canny survival instincts with a bit of family affection. Scott Giguere as Peter went toe to toe with Thomas in many scenes.
Is it prosaic to describe the show as ‘timely’ when ‘timeless’ is a better way to describe the arc? These environmental and health crisis are not recent or unique phenomenon anymore than ambition or greed are recent inventions.
The stage was lovely – a room surrounded by water presumably the springs. Petra fills a basin with a tap, implying the family has been exposed to typhoid. The actors were not off stage so much as carrying out their daily lives in the background. It was slightly distracting, but also a good reminder of perspective in a story about a community.
At the end of the day, it is a mistake to think Thomas was a hero. He endured a public shaming, but he didn’t stop the spread of the bacteria. He committed to stay and fight with more of his over the top exuberant glee, leaping from reclaiming his medical practice to sponsoring a school in less than 30 seconds. I’m unconvinced Thomas realized that he might rethink his approach and his choice of companions. Self-actualization, I think?
In my mind, the real hero is Petra and her off-screen younger brother. Petra seizes the fragments of their disaster to create a path forward, one that can educate people rather than just lecturing them. A generation of leaders who understand there’s a cost to preserve public health and it is a necessary cost, just as the cost of free speech must be paid.
I hope …
‘An Enemy of the People’ continues through February 22 at the Pittsburgh Public Theater.
