An Enemy of the People at Timeline Theatre thru June 14th

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Timeline Theatre’s “An Enemy of the People” is shockingly current  - Review By: Paul Lisnek

****/4

When truth becomes a threat, democracy starts to look an awful lot like a desperate hostage situation. TimeLine Theatre’s Chicago Premiere of Amy Herzog’s “An Enemy of the People” turns Henrik Ibsen’s 19th-century warning into an eerily and uncomfortably relatable fight over power, political spin, and the price of speaking plainly in public. Sound familiar?

“An Enemy of the People” by Henrik Ibsen follows Dr. Thomas Stockmann, a physician in a small Norwegian town who discovers that the town’s lucrative spa baths—the pride of the community and clearly a destination for tourists—are contaminated posing a serious health risk to all. Expecting gratitude, Dr. Stockmann’s message is instead met by a fierce opposition from local officials, including his own brother, who happens to be the town’s mayor. The political concern? Economic ruin and public scandal which as the saying goes, would be an inconvenient truth. His message leads Dr. Stockmann to be branded as “an enemy of the people,” which then serves to test the play’s themes of truth, integrity, and the dangers of majority rule.

Under Ron OJ Parson’s talented and seasoned directive hand, this adaptation moves with a clarity and force; the ensemble cast under his direction makes the production feel less like a period drama it is, and gives it life as a contemporary argument about the civic cost of honesty. And THIS, my friends, is what Timeline has been doing as its driving mission for the last 30 years. 

Before I get to far, let’s acknowledge a major accomplishment. This is the inaugural production in Timeline’s state-of-the-art magnificent new building. What 30 years ago was a hope and a dream, is now a fully breathing and realized achievement for which a hearty Congratulations is due!! This space and all that goes with it (a bar which will be open to the neighborhood outside of production hours, and furniture and lighting which have their own long histories you should inquire about, for example) is exactly what this Uptown Chicago neighborhood needs. Covid delayed the dream, but it could not defeat it. Timeline, true to its history, defied the challenges of a threatening history to now stands as a new crown jewel in the city’s theatrical crown.

Will Allan’s Dr. Thomas Stockmann is driven by his sense of nerve and conviction, a man who believes he is right and will fight to defend his beliefs in the face of corporate and political powers’ efforts to silence him. Allan resists the easy to stereotype role of hero; instead, he lets his character Dr. Stockmann’s sense of righteousness and impatience complicate and propel his moral clarity through his ability to escalate the tension of every room he enters.

Behzad Dabu, one of Timeline’s success stories returns home to play an excellent foil as Thomas’ brother, Town Mayor Peter Stockman; he’s cool and measured as he uses his political authority to scheme in the way only a polished politician can who is concerned only about the rich and powerful and seeks to defend the status quo at any cost. Dabu plays him, not as a cartoon villain which could have been given his top hat and costuming. No, under Parson’s direction, this Mayor Pete understands that institutions rarely survive on honesty alone; they must resort to spin, messaging, and the careful management of embarrassment, even when the victim of his ire is his own brother.

Parson’s direction keeps competing forces in balance, drawing tense engaging performances from the cast making sure that every confrontation feels like it has consequences reaching far beyond what could play out as a mere family drama. Here, the script’s pressure points let the production build steadily through the scenes. Arguments never feel theoretical; for today’s audience, they feel personal, political, and very dangerous.

As an ensemble, and with the help of the set and costumes, the cast helps widen the play’s reach, giving the town’s political and social machinery a drive for survival. And because Timeline always has a message grounded in history, the production illustrates how a community can close ranks with driving speed once political self-interest and fear blend to create both potential public panic and an urgent consideration of options. It’s like looking at today’s society in a mirror. 

What lingers post-show is not just the debate, which every Timeline production triggers, but the discomforting recognition of how easily a community can turn on those who seek to protect it. 

Timeline’s “An Enemy of the People” is smart, well-paced and has a clear warning for today. Ibsen would no doubt be both pleased and unnerved to know that his work of nearly 150 years ago could stand today maintaining a sharp, and all too contemporary bite.

Congratulations Timeline on an exemplary opening production….the first of an unlimited number to come as the years march on. Welcome to your new location….congratulations on a moving achievement…..and Chicago can’t wait to see what you have in store in the years to come!

Bravo!

An Enemy of the People runs at Timeline’s new home at 5035 N. Broadway through June 14th and tickets can be purchased at: www.Timelinetheatre.com