HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1991-09-18, Page 27Theatre Review
Fox wins ‘bravos’ for ‘Enemy’
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18,1991. PAGE 27.
Nomination deadlines approach
BY KEITH ROULSTON
In these days when so many peo
ple claim to be worried about the
environment, it's amazing to see
how quickly many can change their
minds if they feel their livelihood is
endangered by protecting the envi
ronment. It would seem like a new
phcnominum but An Enemy of the
People, the Henrik Ibsen play at
Stratford Festival shows the con
flict is at least a century old.
For many from this area, a trip to
see An Enemy of the People may be
caused by a desire to see David
Fox in the leading role but those
making the trip will be rewarded
with a play that has a lot to say
about today's world. Mr. Fox, who
has been seen in so many Blyth
Festival and Theatre Passe Muraille
plays locally that he seems like a
hometown boy, plays Dr. Thomas
Stockman who discovers that the
water in the public baths that have
made his town a mecca for those
seeking better health, is actually
harming the health of those people
because it is full of bacteria.
There's nothing to be done, he
feels, but to close the baths and lay
more water pipe to bring in purer
water from farther up the hill. He's
so sure of the goodness of his dis
covery that he expects to be
declared a hero by his townsmen.
Indeed for a while his friends are
grateful for diligence until the Doc
tor's brother, the town mayor,
points out just what would happen
if the baths were closed. It would
take two years to lay more pipe, he
declares and if the baths, which
have become the source of the
town's prosperity, were closed that
long, homeowners would see the
value of their property fall and
businessmen would lose money.
Instantly the good Doctor finds
his friends desert him and join his
brother in pressuring him to with
draw his charges about the pollu
tion. As his brother says: "It must
be suppressed for the good of the
community." Suddenly the newspa
per editor who was anxious to print
a scandal that would tarnish the
mayor earlier, refuses to print the
story now. Instead he prints the
mayor's denials.
But the Doctor refuses to back
down and feels truth must be told
so he organises an open meeting
but his enemies lake over his own
meeting and declare him an enemy
of the people and drive him and his
family back to their home where
the mob smashes their windows
with rocks. The Doctor loses his
job, is ordered out of his house, his
daughter loses her job as a teacher,
his two sons come home from
school beaten up and his one and
only friend, a sea captain, has his
boat taken away from him,
Ibsen lays it on a little thick.
There aren't many people to admire
in the story. Everybody outside the
family except the sea captain is
slimy, plotting and deceitful. Even
the Doctor is a bit hard to take
when he declares that the majority
is never right, that the majority is
stupid and only intelligent people
like himself really have the right to
govern. If he was so darned smart,
why didn't he realize right off the
bat what terrible news the pollution
of the baths would be for the
town...every body else in the theatre
did.
Ibsen is so busy making a point
that he slacks the odds sometimes
and doesn't let his characters
behave in human ways. Il causes
problems for the.actors, particularly
Hard message
Dr. Stockman (David Fox, kneeling) gathers up rocks
thrown through his window by angry protesters who don’t
want him to report an important business is unsafe and
must be closed in An Enemy of the Public at Stratford
Festival. His brother, the Mayor, (Nicholas Pennell) joined
the crowd.
for David Fox who has to be
incredibly naive at times, and pow
erful and passionate al others. Mr.
Fox and director Martha Henry
seem to figure the best way to get
through these parts is hectic activi
ty and so Mr. Fox sometimes seems
like he is running a marathon,
never settling for a moment on the
stage, always moving relentlessly,
full of energy. It can be distracting.
But the David Fox power and
passion is also on the stage and
when he has the chance to show the
Doctor's passion, it's a show-stop
ping performance. At the end, as he
took his bows, the audience was
shouting "bravos".
The Fox performance makes it
hard to measure the other perfor
mances. They are all strong, but
seem quiet by comparison.
Nicholas Pennell is sufficiently
cold and manipulative as his broth
er, the mayor. Peter Donaldson,
whose editor is so strong in his pas
sion against the ruling class at the
beginning, becomes unappcalingly
wimpish at the end.
Barbara Bryne as the Doctor's
wife shows backbone none of the
men have while Julia Winder as his
daughter Petra is appealingly
spunky. Also delightful is William
Needles as the Doctor’s scoundrel
of a father-in-law.
Of extra interest is the crowd
scene where the Doctor is hounded
from his own meeting. With so
many people needed on stage, one
has a chance to glimpse people you
wouldn't usually see on stage such
as director Bernard Hopkins and
David William, artistic director of
the Festival.
Still, the reason to see this play is
the story that's as modem today as
it was when it was written in 1882.
If you don't think so, just listen to
the roar from the audience when
the Doctor suggests: "We have to
exterminate the politicians."
Ain't it nifty
Howdy's 50
SEPTEMBER 23
The deadline is less than a month
away for individuals interested in
running for municipal office. By
October 11, interested persons must
have filled out the registration and
relumed it to the returning officer,
who is usually the town clerk.
The nomination period begins
October 8 and ends October 11,
during normal operating hours of
the municipal office. Only those
who have registered can be nomi
nated, which they do by taking the
nomination papers from the return
ing officer and obtaining al least 10
signatures from qualified electors.
On October 17, the list of nomi
nated and acclaimed candidates is
Happy 25th
Birthdays
SEPT. 17
David &
Love from your
friends & family
The family of
TOM & BERNICE
MacFARLANE
CORDIALLY INVITES YOU
TO CELEBRATE WITH
THEM THEIR
50th Wedding
Anniversary
on Sunday,
September 22,1991
at Brussels Legion
Open House 1:30-4 p.m.
Best Wishes Only Please
posted, as are the times of the
advance and regular polls and the
last day for applications for proxy
certificates.
Election day is Tuesday, Novem
ber 12, but the official outcome
will be announced on November
14.
WRIGHT - ROETCISOENDER
Mr. and Mrs. Garnet Wright
wish to announce the forth
coming marriage of their
daughter, Kimberley Ann
Wright to Jeffrey Roetci-
soender, son of Mr. and Mrs
Hielke Roetcisoender. The
Church at 4 p.m.
wedding is to take place
Saturday, September 21,
1991 at Londesboro United
523-9381
THURSDAY NIGHT IS
WING NIGHT
5 P.M. - MIDNIGHT
WINGS 35c EACH
MINIMUM ORDER 10
a variety of sauces available
SORRY NO TAKE-OUTS
Mon., Tues., Wed. 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Thurs., Frl., & Sat.
5 p.m. - midnight
CHICKEN WINGS &
CHIPS $5.45
EAT IN OR TAKE OUT
THURS., FRI. & SAT. NITES
PIZZA
5 P.M. - MIDNIGHT
EAT IN OR TAKE OUT
ENTERTAINMENT
Sept 20 & 21
Jam Pact
L.L.B.O._________
RE-OPENING - BUSINESS
AS USUAL THURS. SEPT. 19/91