PUBLIC ENEMY

Description

NEW FORTUNE THEATRE is proudly presenting the WEST COAST PREMIERE:

HENRIK IBSEN'S 

PUBLIC ENEMY

In a version by DAVID HARROWER. 

Directed by RICHARD BAIRD.

With only 3 prior productions in London, NYC and Singapore, New Fortune has been granted the

performance rights to this “problematic and provocative” new version of Ibsen’s masterpiece, more

familiarly known as “An Enemy of the People.”

 

 “How far will you go to tell the truth?”

Ibsen’s blistering classic is brought up to date in David Harrower’s taut, tense and incisive modern dress 90-minute adaptation. 

Though written in 1882, En Folkfiende, otherwise known as Enemy of the People reveals truths about contemporary society. 

Things are not what they seem in this “raw and punchy adaptation” from playwright David Harrower (Blackbird) which premiered in 2013 at London’s Young Vic. When Dr. Stockmann discovers that the waters of a new public spa are toxic, he expects gratitude and glory. Instead, his disclosure makes him the most hated man in town.

“Democracy has nothing to do with responsible choices but with Popular choices”

THE CAST

Richard Baird* … Dr. Thomas Stockmann

Danny Campbell … Morten Kiil

Trevor Cruse … Hovstad

Nick Daugherty … Billing

Geoffrey Ulysses Geissinger … Eilif Stockmann

Anthony Graf … Morten Stockmann

Nick Kennedy … Mayor Peter Stockmann

Neil McDonald … Aslaksen

Walter Murray … Captain Horster

Amanda Schaar … Katrine Stockmann

Kimberly Weinberger … Petra Stockmann

*denotes members of Actors Equity Association

ABOUT

About Henrik Ibsen: One of the greatest and certainly the most influential playwrights of the 19th century, Henrik Ibsen was born in 1828 in Norway. After a number of verse plays, including Brand and Peer Gynt, he wrote the 12 monumental prose plays which are performed in every major theatre throughout the world. Ghosts (1881) was banned and attacked when it was first published. Public Enemy (1882) was Ibsen’s powerfully ironic response. Among his other modernist masterpieces are A Doll’s House (1879), Hedda Gabler (1890) and The Master Builder (1892).

About David Harrower: David Harrower’s plays include Knives in Hens, Kill the Old, Torture Their Young, and Dark Earth (Traverse), Presence (Royal Court) The Chrysalids (NY Connections), Blackbird (Edinburgh International Festival; West End; OLIVIER AWARD BEST PLAY 2007), A Slow Air (Tron Theatre, Glasgow and Tricycle, London) and Good with People (Play, Pine and a Pint). Adaptations include Büchner’s Woyzeck (Edinburgh Festival), Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author (Young Vic), Chekhov’s Ivanov and Horvth’s Tales from the Vienna Woods (National Theatre), Schiller’s Mary Stuart (National Theatre of Scotland), and Brecht’s The Good Soul of Szechuan and Gogol’s The Government Inspector (Young Vic).

About Richard Baird: Richard Baird is an award-winning actor, director and producer.  He founded Poor Players Theatre Company in 2001 which rebranded in 2014 as New Fortune Theatre Company.  For Poor Players he directed 23 productions of Shakespeare's plays.  Director credits: Henry V (Craig Noel best director winner), The Birthday Party and Les Liaisons Dangereuses (New Fortune Theatre Company);  The Changeling (Oregon Shakespeare Festival Black Swan Series), Of Mice and Men (Craig Noel best director nominee), A Walk in the Woods, Amadeus (Craig Noel best director nominee) and Dancing Lessons for North Coast Repertory Theatre; Backyard Renaissance: An Experiment with an Airpump, The October Night of Johnny Zero (world premiere).  Intrepid Theatre: Much Ado about Nothing; Diversionary Theatre: Edward II; Southwest Shakespeare Company: As You Like It and The Winter's Tale.  Richard has performed in regional theatres across the country including: The Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, North Coast Repertory Theatre, Portland Centre Stage, Arizona Theatre Company, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Santa Barbara Theatre Ensemble, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Southwest Shakespeare Company, Backyard Renaissance and many more.  He received the Craig Noel award for Best Actor and Director for New Fortune Theatre's inaugural production of Henry V.  He also received a Craig Noel for his performance as Angelo in Poor Player's Measure for Measure.  San Diego Playbill award for The Merchant of Venice.  Patte Best Actor award for Macbeth and The Merchant of Venice.  AriZoni Best Actor Theatre Award for Cyrano de Bergerac and for Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew.  In 2024 he will be directing Tartuffe for North Coast Repertory Theatre which will then transfer to the Laguna Playhouse. 

Date & Time

Jun 8 - Jul 2, 2023

Venue Details

Westminster Presbyterian Church

3598 Talbot St
San Diego, California 92106

New Fortune Theatre Company