In a way, Oslo Nye Teater has started the build-up to the autumn election campaign with the performance “An enemy of the people” by Henrik Ibsen. Much of what they do fits precisely into the present. Here is both an environmental fight, a women’s fight, and – not least – a fight for the truth. In a densely packed, moody and intense performance, the connection between language, attitudes and ruling techniques is illuminated in such a way that it makes you dizzy. And it signals that a new wind is blowing at Oslo Nye Teater. NEW TASKS: The married couple is still called Stockmann, but Mrs Katrine (Ingvild Holthe Bygdnes) has become a doctor, while her husband Thomas (Modou Bah) is a psychologist. Photo: Lars Opstad Sharp and naive “The fact is, you see, that the strongest man in the world is the one who stands most alone”. This famous Ibsen quote belongs to Doktor Stockmann and is taken from the end of “An enemy of the people”. At Oslo Nye Teater, director Therese Willstedt has set the performance in the present day, but more importantly, she has made a role change with the Stockmann couple. Katrine Stockmann (Ingvild Holthe Bygdnes) is now the doctor, her husband is the psychologist Thomas (Modou Bah). Together they have a small baby who is still being breastfed. “An enemy of the people” Photo: NTB archive “An enemy of the people” is a play in five acts by Henrik Ibsen, published in 1882. It was first performed at the Christiania Theater on 13 January 1883. It was also performed at Den Nationale Scene in Bergen the same year. The play was the last in a series of four explicitly socially critical plays from Ibsen’s hand. It balances comedy and tragedy, and was for a long time among his most played. The quote “the strongest man in the world, he is the one who stands most alone” is one of the most famous lines from the authorship. Source: Great Norwegian Lexicon Beyond these changes, the plot is faithful to Ibsen’s starting point: Doctor Stockmann works at a spa in a small town. She suspects that the water at the spa is contaminated, and investigates this secretly. It turns out the doctor is right, and when she goes forward with the information, she expects this to be addressed. But the town and its leaders have too much to lose. Doctor Stockmann stands his ground, but in the end is left alone. Katrine Stockmann is a doctor with ambitions, she is sharp, but also naive. The source of the poisoned water comes from her mother’s property, and both her mother, the mayor’s brother Peter and Katrine herself will be affected financially when interventional measures are needed to possibly save the spa. And in this matter some are willing to sacrifice more than others. CONSTANT EVIDENCE: Katrine Stockmann (Ingvild Holthe Bygdnes) with the report that shows that her assumptions are correct: The water in the spa is full of environmental toxins. The damage turns out to be more difficult to fix than she thinks. Photo: Lars Opstad Ammetåka? Making Stockmann a woman with an infant is interesting. We don’t see much of the child since it disappears for Katrine as the importance of the case grows. The exciting thing about the baby grip is primarily how the outside world attributes Stockmann’s character traits because she is a woman with a small child. It’s appalling how her arguments are dismissed as invalid due to supposed hormones and breastfeeding fog. Like she’s not sane. And this comes in everyday language. HIGH PRICE TO PAY: Katrine Stockmann is a mother, doctor and champion of the truth. It gets tough when she stands alone against the majority. From left: Ingvild Holthe Bygdnes and Karoline Schau. Photo: Lars Opstad And it is precisely the everyday language that makes the play interesting. It reveals a number of ruling techniques that are alive and well. If Stockmann had been a man responsible for a baby, would the night vigil have made his arguments less valid? The performance insists on highlighting and exploring the mechanisms in everyday language that show how we place ourselves in relation to each other. There is nothing surprising or new in what is being said. That is perhaps why it is embarrassing when the show so insistently brings this up among small-town politicians with thoughts of economic disaster. SLESK POLITICIAN: Eivin Nilsen Salthe plays Peter Stockmann, mayor of Eidestrand municipality – a municipality that has invested large resources in the spa. When the water turns out to be poisoned, a public meeting is invited – for real – in the theatre. Photo: Lars Opstad Alone in the snow Therese Willstedt’s direction handles consequences in a good way. Katrine Stockmann is of course alone again – so lonely that, in the spirit of good, old theater cliché, it starts to snow at the end. But the director does not deal lightly with the consequences either of Katrine’s choice or of the other characters. Leaving costs a lot. Losing money costs a lot. Standing alone and fighting for the truth costs a lot. Not being present enough as a parent costs a lot. There are no winners in this play, not really. Ingvild Holthe Bygdnes is a steadfast doctor. A tiresome, naive and principled character who is willing to stand by the truth – whatever the cost. Maybe the role goes into a rut where she becomes fussy for some, a little too much as a character? I find Bygdnes to be faithful to the character despite the tiring aspects of it. And makes me wonder: Do we in the audience find it a little more tiring when a woman shouts and stands her ground? Is Stockmann’s sneaky mayor brother (well played by Eivin Nilsen Salthe) easier to deal with, coward as he basically is? ALONE AGAIN: “The strongest woman in the world is she who stands most alone,” says Katrine Stockmann towards the end of the play. But it has its price. Ingvild Holthe Bygdnes is faithful even to Katrine Stockmann’s most tiresome aspects. Photo: Lars Opstad Election campaign kick-off “An enemy of the people” is about how the public handles the truth. The show is fun, but also a bit too long. At the same time, it is worth watching – not least in view of the elections and the election campaign that are on the way, or various protest actions that characterize our time. Oslo Nye Teater presents here a performance that wants to move clearly into its time. It is full of promise from the new theater manager. The performance doesn’t hit everything, but it has will and temperament – and hopefully the ability to provoke. news reviewer Photo: Lars Opstad/Miriam Edmunds Title: “An enemy of the people” By: Henrik Ibsen Edited by: Therese Willstedt With: Ingvild Holthe Bygdnes, Eivin Nilsen Salthe, Modou Bah, Numa Edema Norderhaug, Karoline Schau, Trine Wenberg Svensen, Marius Lien , Henriette Faye-Schjøll, Sarah Francesca Brænne and Gine Cornelia Pedersen. Director: Therese Willstedt Scenography and costume design: Agnes Östergren Music and musical sound design: Martin Ullitsdahl Lighting design: Clement Irbil Sound design: Erling Berby Dramaturg: Ilene Sørbøe Mask supervisor: Birgit Haugå Assistant director: Martha Rasmussen Lubiana Scenography assistant: Julia Kylén Collins Props designer: Ingrid Usta Technical coordinator: Christer Berg Supervisor: Ragna Vik / Kent Andreas Sæterøy Production staff: Sarah Frogner Premiere date: 8 June-23. September 2023
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“An enemy of the people” at Oslo Nye Teater – Reviews and recommendations
