When a Public Servant is Branded as an 'Enemy of the People'

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(c) 2019 Robert M. Powell

Economy and ecology lock in an uneasy dance of politics delicately reflected on a small stage as Theatre Gigante presents Enemy of the People. Isabelle Kralj and Mark Anderson’s adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic opens with song and movement celebrating the opening of a new health spa. Flowers, chocolates and samples of lotion are jubilantly handed out to the audience to promote the birth of a bustling tourist economy in a small town.

Emmitt Morgans marches a troubled heroic path through the narrative as a doctor who has discovered that the water in the spa is a threat to public health. David Flores asserts a slimy, duplicitous, politician’s presence as the town’s mayor, who looks to discredit the good doctor in order to maintain the strong economy generated by the spa. The conflict between doctor and mayor is supported by an emotionally energetic ensemble led by the voice and acoustic guitar of Ben Yela, who also serves as the doctor’s strongest ally through the turbulent journey of someone determined to serve the public good.

Catchy songs throughout the production written by Jason Powell and the impressive charm of the ensemble serve to cut some of the overwhelming frustration Kralj and Anderson have carved into their adaptation. The politics covered in the show are tragically familiar to anyone who has been paying attention to the current administration’s anti-environmentalist policies. Theatre Gigante deftly highlights the complexities of contemporary politics echoing through Ibsen with a small ensemble on a very small stage. Overwhelmingly complex issues of human survival become tragically comprehensible in a humble 80-minute narrative.

Through Feb. 16 at Kenilworth 508 Theatre, 1925 E. Kenilworth Place. For tickets, call 1-800-838-3006 or visit theatregigante.org.