An Enemy of the People

Synopsis

Dr Stockmann attempts to expose a water pollution scandal in his home town - about to set itself up as a spa - but his brother conspires with newspapers and politicians to suppress the story. When Stockmann tries to put over his story at a public meeting he is reviled as an `enemy of the people'.

Our Review:

Vicky Ellis - 18 February 2010

Sheffield’s epic, Victorian-costumed production of An Enemy of the People, using Christopher Hampton’s translation, is stock full of debuts. We see Antony Sher tackle his first Ibsen role (no doubt the first debut of his in a while), Daniel Evans make his bow as artistic director for Sheffield Theatres, and the first production on the Crucible stage after its £15.3 million redevelopment.

Sher takes Dr Tomas Stockmann into delightfully idiosyncratic territory, with blazing excitement in his eyes, and restless hops at the discovery he hopes will save the town if he alerts his brother, the mayor, and the local community, to the contamination of its recently completed coastal spa.

The quivering merriment and intellectual enthusiasm turns to indignation as gradually the false morality of all who surround him is exposed: whether it be Hovstad, corrupted editor of local newspaper The People’s Messenger (excellently played...

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Latest User Review

Liz Williams - 27 March 2010:

Utterly brilliant. Great cast and Sher and Shrapnel were mesmerising. ...

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