Up Against Big Water (The Chamber Theatre)

The People and The Enemy Adapted from Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People Adaptation and directed by Martin French A review by Kate Barry

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It’s not every day that a local 501©3 non profit theater company gets a big investor as a sponsor for a play. But then again, The Chamber Theatre’s The People and The Enemy is not your average production. As you walk into the gallery-turned-performance space, Providence Water is handed to you with strong encouragement to enjoy its contents. Interactive and intimate, The People and The Enemy is a satirical adaptation of Enrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People that pits a small town doctor against big business in the age of social media.

Martin French’s adaptation is genuinely funny and smart. Dialogue is modern and full of wit with characters willing to fight the good fight. Most interestingly is the presence of Providence Water. In this adaptation the contaminated bathhouses of Ibsen’s day are transformed into a local water company that provides jobs and livelihoods. When it is discovered that the Providence Water holds a significant percentage of urine, extreme measures are taken to expose and hide the information from the community. To prove the relevance of Providence, pamphlets are made available and audience members are encouraged to participate in a feed back session at intermission. Truly the presence of “The Big P” is never lost and the irony is noted.

Performances are strong from the three central characters, business alpha-dog Pat (Floren K), scientist Thomas (Marc McHone) and blogger Hansen (Jude Stivers). McHone’s channels an ethical and educated David vs Goliath with struggles of what he knows is true. McHone gives this “good doctor trying to make right” a backbone with a strong moral compass. His fight to do good culminates in a speech to a town hall meeting with immediate backlash. On one side of the argument sits Pat, played with a greedy slant by Floren K. Backed with power of “The Big P,” Floren K’s performance is an amoral and noteworthy villain who will twist and manipulate the story at any cost. And the story they manipulate is none other than a local blogger who wants to “speak truth to power as a journalist.” Jude Stiver’s Hansnen may come across as naïve but he is no dummy. Stiver’s does well to bring heart and humor into his journalist’s search for real facts amidst corruption.

The performance takes drastic measures to provide questions and discussion for Ibsen’s morality tale. Between acts, an intermission serves as a panel for the fictional water company. With a performer who introduces the play as the apparent discussion host, the transition between first and second act in general felt unorganized as audience was unsure what to do at the moment. Some participated, some did not. A highly improvised guided discussion was a clever idea for such a moral debate even if incorporating it felt unnatural.

At the plays climax, the action takes a chaotic turn. So chaotic and very unorganized that the theatricality no longer felt convincing. The continuing dilemma and satire grind to a screeching halt, and performers are forced to rethink the play. Without giving more spoilers, the choice to include Ibsen’s original text was a smart move while the beats to get there needed more work. The transition from the adaptation to re-enactment was so confusing that several audience members believed the play was over. Regrettably, the tone shift takes away from the legit ethical topics brought forth earlier in the script.

The theme of the little guy going up against the big nasty corporation and spreading truth is relevant now more than ever.

Ibsen made a career of characters changing the status quo and The Enemy of the People is an example of that. The Chamber Theatre makes an honest effort with The People and The Enemy to show what it takes to do what is right.

The People and The Enemy The Chamber Theatre January 25- February 1 Kleinhelter Gallery 701 E 8th Street New Albany, IN 47510 thechambertheatre.square.site