An Enemy of the People

By: Henrik Ibsen

Narrated by: Rosalind Ayres, Gregory Harrison, Richard Kind, Alan Mandell, Jon Matthews, Alan Shearman, Josh Stamberg, Emily Swallow, Tom Virtue

Length: 1 hr and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

When a small town relies on tourists flocking to its baths, will a report of dangerously polluted waters be enough to shut them down? Henrik Ibsen weighs the cost of public health versus a town's livelihood and skewers the complicity of the masses in his classic and still timely play.

Includes an interview about the Deepwater Horizon, man-made environmental disasters, climate change, and the state of the world's water supply with Joel K. Bourne Jr., former senior environment writer for National Geographic.

This play is part of L.A. Theatre Works' Relativity Series featuring science-themed plays. Lead funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, bridging science and the arts in the modern world.

Recorded before a live audience at the UCLA James Bridges Theater in April 2014.

Director: Martin Jarvis

Producing Director: Susan Albert Loewenberg

An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring:

Rosalind Ayres as Catherine Stockmann

Gregory Harrison as Peter Stockmann

Richard Kind as Dr. Thomas Stockmann

Alan Mandell as Morten Kiil

Jon Matthews as Billing

Alan Shearman as Captain Horster

Josh Stamberg as Hovstad

Emily Swallow as Petra

Tom Virtue as Aslaksen

With various roles played by: Sam Boeck, Julia Coulter, Jeff Gardner, William R. Hickman, Adam Mondschein

Associate Producers: Anna Lyse Erikson, Myke Weiskopf. Sound Designer, Recording and Mixing Engineer: Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood. Sound Effects Artist: Jeff Gardner. Editor: Wes Dewberry.

©2014 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2014 L.A. Theatre Works

Critic reviews

"L.A. Theatre Works' 'radio theater' production of Ibsen's classic play about environmental contamination, science, dissent, and hypocrisy offers a well-rounded audio theater experience. Very little in Ibsen's original work requires theatrical action, and, when it does, the LATW cast - including Richard Kind, Rosalind Ayres, Gregory Harrison, and Josh Stamberg - and the production team do an excellent job of conveying it through sound. Like most dramatic works, the two-hour play is best enjoyed in one or two sittings. Ibsen's themes remain relevant, almost prescient, nearly a century and a half after he wrote this play." (AudioFile magazine)

Good Demonstration of Provincial Minds

Great premise and a good execution. Shows how a town turns against a truth teller. I want to compare now to the Crucible by arthur Miller. One missing piece of the story is the impact of modern tort liability on the town defenders of the contaminated spa waters. Artistically, not a fair criticism but kept me wondering what possible arguments of the town defenders.

The man who played Mr. Stockman put on a brilliant show.

The story is powerful, brilliant, and just splendid; definitely one of my favorite plays and one that I will recommend and remember.

I found the thing a little short.

I thought we would be exploring the topic further, then it ended, a little too abruptly, in my opinion.

Loved This!

Loved Richard Kind's acting in this! I will look for other audible books he's featured in!

Impactful performance

Great story, Important message. Very good acting. Believable scenario (especially given the short discussion at the end of the play.)

Addresses the dilemma of public health versus public wealth

The story of a town that faces a public health issue that threatens their economy dives right in. What saves the town? Nepotism or idealism? Ibsen raises so many questions that a society faces. The characters are easy to tell apart. Their conversations sound natural. The story builds, there is so much wisdom in this play!