Henrik Ibsen’s Enemy of the People was ahead of its time. The 1882 play concerns itself with a Dr. Stockmann who has discovered that a town’s baths are contaminated. They’re a threat to public health. He resolves to release his findings publicly, but discovers that there is a complex web of concerns that may be covering-up the situation. Revealing the information could improve public health, but it would endanger the overall wellbeing of the town. Which is the lesser of two evils and how much time does Dr. Stockmann have to make a decision?
The play gets an intimate staging next month as Company of Strangers opens the drama at the end of the week. The new local theatre company will be staging the show in the cozy, little space of the Underground Collaborative downtown. Eric Olson play the doctor alongside a cast that includes Sarah Ann Mellström, Zoe Schwartz, Paul Pfannenstiel and more.
Company of Strangers comes to Milwaukee from Virginia where it had staged a number of productions dating back to 2010. This is its first production since moving to Milwaukee. Enemy of the People runs Oct. 7 - 15 at the Underground Collaborative on 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. For more information, visit Company of Strangers online.
