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Powerful drama ‘An Enemy of the People’ opens this month at Ilkley Playhouse

Tuesday, 3 September 2024 09:07

An Enemy of the People opens on 12th September at Ilkley Playhouse (Photo: Charlie Swinbourne)

Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic An Enemy of the People, a play about contemporary environmental issues and crises of the public good, opens at Ilkley Playhouse on Thursday 12th September.

When Dr Teresa Stockmann discovers the town’s famous spa waters are poisoned, she expects to be congratulated for drawing attention to the fact and averting an environmental catastrophe. Instead, her brother – who also happens to be the local mayor – accuses her of threatening the town’s livelihood. As public and media opinion divides, the community splits into factions. Who can be trusted and who are deemed to be ‘enemies of the people’?

Yvette Huddleston, the play’s director, describes the play as:

“a powerful, multi-layered drama that is given a contemporary spin in this modern-day adaptation. While Ibsen’s original play was written over a hundred years ago, the themes it deals with – the corrupting influence of power, how commercial gain can trump morality, humankind's damaging effect on the environment and the importance of protecting the truth and freedom of speech – remain timely and pressing. As well as tackling those thorny issues, the play also explores family dynamics, passion, ambition and personal integrity.”

An Enemy of the People run from 12th to 21st September (exc. Sun 15th), tickets are available via the website ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk or from the box office, open Monday-Friday 12-3pm: 01943 609539.

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