the play started with some very fast dialogs and i was like "WTF! is the entire play gonna be like this"... later i realized that its how that nerd doctor speaks. the story develops from a hypothesis dr stockman has about people getting sick from contaminated drinking water. stockman tries to go public but the major finds out and uses his power and persuasion to stop stockman. the plot demonstrates the values of democracy. is the majority right all the time? the plot is a bit deep so eat before you come. i had a very satisfying dinner at the shrine before the play so i could digest the plot. except the first scene. it was all blah blah blah to me!
the acting was good, apart from a few lines being lost here and there. it kept me focused right through (except during the first scene). one flaw i saw was that the actors didnt bother to connect with the audience in a lot of scenes.
An Enemy of the People
- Presented by: StageLight and Magic Inc. (SLM)
- Performance dates: from Friday, March 28, 2008 to Sunday, March 30, 2008
- Directed by: Chamat Arambewela
- Time: 7.30pm to 9.30pm
- Location: Punchi Theatre, Cotta Road, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka
- Tickets: Rs 300 downstairs and Rs 200 balcony. Available at the venue. Call 0112672121 for booking details.Tickets will be available at the venue from the 17th of March onwards. Admission on opening night is free of charge.
- Official Website: stagelightandmagic.com
gallery
cast
- Aslaksen - Suren Gnanaraj
- Hovstad - Geethike De Silva
- Billing - Thiwanka Katipearachchi
- Petra - Oshadhi Welegama
- Catherine - Ashini Fernando
- Ejlif - Dinuka Lugoda
- Morten - Aravinda De Almeida
- Captain Horster - Vishan Gunewardena
synopsis: The Rule of the Majority - Democracy? Or Demagogy?
Source: StageLight and Magic Inc.
StageLight&Magic Inc. in association with the Royal Norwegian Embassy presents Arthur Miller’s Adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s ‘An Enemy of the People’ directed by Chamat Arambewela, at the Punchi Theatre from the 28th - 30th March, 2008.
'An Enemy of the People' is a thematic play that dwells on the false realities that we embrace to be true; for convenience, and out of fear of the truth. Staged by SLM in association with the Royal Norwegian Embassy, a century after it was written, the play is as pertinent now as it was originally.
A sleepy town in Norway finds a potential gold mine in the form of Kirsten Springs, the public baths founded by Dr. Stockmann (Sashane Perera) and his brother - the Mayor of the town - Peter Stockmann (Rajiv Ponweera). However, just as the baths grow in popularity, the doctor discovers that the water in the bath is contaminated by the local tannery owned by his Father-in-law, Morten Kiil (Sajith Amendra), making many tourists sick pointing at the threat of an impending epidemic.
Dr. Stockmann expects this important discovery to be lauded as his greatest achievement, and initially is heralded a great man by the owner of the People’s Daily Messenger - Aslaksen (Suren Gnanaraj), the Editor - Hovstad (Geethike De Silva), and his assistant Billing (Thiwanka Katipearachchi).
However, the Mayor fails to appreciate the seriousness of the issue and is unwilling to publicly acknowledge and address the problem because it could mean financial ruin for the town. He manages to manipulate the press and influence the people against the doctor. Let down by the majority and betrayed by his ‘friends’, the Doctor only has his wife Catherine (Ashini Fernando), his daughter Petra (Oshadhi Welegama), his two sons Ejlif & Morten (Dinuka Lugoda, Aravinda De Almeida) and his old friend Captain Horster (Vishan Gunewardena): as he is branded a traitor to society; 'An Enemy of the People'.
The play deals with some pertinent truths on the principles of Democracy, attempting to show that the majority, more often than not, can be easily led by self-advancing demagogues. It also takes a strike at liberalism, showing that people on either side of the spectrum can be equally self advancing, under the guise of public good.