TimeLine Theatre Company opens their gorgeous new permanent theater home with a captivating and deeply resonant staging of Amy Herzog’s adaptation of An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen. Herzog’s taut and contemporary reimagining of Ibsen’s text fits TimeLine’s mission beautifully: To connect moments of history to the current cultural climate. It’s a testament both to Herzog’s adaptation and to director Ron OJ Parson’s phenomenal ensemble at TimeLine that the play feels timely and engaging — but never overly pointed.
As. Dr. Thomas Stockmann — who discovers that the groundwater supplying the baths that are the central economic and tourist drive of his small town are rife with dangerous bacteria — Will Allan gives a stunning anchor performance. It’s possible to play Dr. Stockmann as sanctimonious and self-righteous. Allan doesn’t do that. His take on Dr. Stockmann doesn’t seem like it comes from a place of moral superiority. Rather, Allan plays it from a deep-rooted desire to do what’s right and to make sure the townspeople know the facts.
At the top of the play, Dr. Stockmann is almost naive. He’s so convinced that once the town’s leaders (and, namely, his brother, Mayor Peter Stockmann) learn this truth, they’ll understand they have no choice but to fix it. Alas, the tragedy here is that, over the course of the play, Dr. Stockmann learns that scientific fact, reason, and morals don’t automatically win the day. Peter Stockmann (Behzad Dabu) is convinced that fixing the bath’s water supply will be the town’s financial ruin…and he wants to bury the secret as best he can. And while town journalist Hovstad (an eager Grayson Kennedy) initially desires to help Dr. Stockmann spread the word, he soon realizes that the financial costs to his print publication may be too great. His printer Aslaksen (Anish Jethmalani) is quick to point that out, too.
The play comes to a roaring head in the fourth act in which the Stockmann brothers engage in an impromptu town hall. TimeLine’s intimate, in-the-round new space that plays to the audience on three sides is a spectacular fit for this. Allan and Dabu roam through the aisles of the theater, trying to persuade audiences to their side.
It’s also incredibly special to see Allan and Dabu, who first met working on TimeLine’s acclaimed 2009 staging of THE HISTORY BOYS (which I regrettably didn’t see), go toe-to-toe several years later back on TimeLine’s brand-new stage. While Allan’s Stockmann is simultaneously calmly rooted in principles and ferociously dedicated to defending them, Dabu plays Peter as a kind of mustache-twirling, self-satisfied villain (Also, costume designer Christine Pascual has given him a magnificent top hat to go along with that). Watching Allan and Dabu debate is an electrifying thrill.
This town hall also includes some of Herzog’s most cutting lines in the play — and for me, the parallels to the current political climate are undeniable. At one point, Dabu’s Peter remarks that he’s utterly committed to free speech…unless it might pose a danger to the people. The line is an absolute gut punch.
Likewise, Dr. Stockmann’s father-in-law Morten Kill (David Parkes, calmly sinister) asks how they can possibly know the bacteria (which he calls “animals”) are real if they’re invisible to the naked eye. Of course, Morten also has metaphorical skin in the game: He owns one of the tanneries polluting the town’s water. Herzog chillingly lays out that for some characters in the play, facts and science are optional — Dr. Stockmann’s discovery is potentially pliable news that they hope can be played off as a less dangerous issue…even though the doctor has the test results to prove it.
What’s most striking about Allan’s lead performance is that he displays the full range of emotion. He’s gentle and caring with his daughter Petra (Campbell Krausen), who becomes his fiercest ally and defender when the town turns against him. Krausen is likewise a great acting partner for Allan. They have a terrific camaraderie, and both actors find a groundedness in their characters’ principled natures. Allan has moments to go big and go small — to be staunchly articulate and strong when addressing his fellow townspeople — and then to break down and be vulnerable when Dr. Stockmann thinks about his late wife Katherine or the pain of having the town turn against him.
While Hovstad and his fellow newspaperman Billings (a jovial Kenneth Hamilton) seem like initial allies, at the end of the day Dr. Stockmann only has Petra and his sailor friend Captain Horster (a charming and sweet Charles Andrew Gardner) by his side. Dr. Stockmann’s desire to socialize the truth and warn his fellow townspeople — to be a whistleblower — is precisely what brands him “an enemy of the people.” That message resonates particularly hard in Herzog’s adaptation. In a political climate where truth and facts can be tossed aside, it is those who speak truth to power who can be punished and ostracized.
This is an absolutely beautiful production to open TimeLine’s new space. It’s a spectacular programming choice — and with Allan at the helm as Dr. Stockmann — Parson has magnificently cast an ensemble of TimeLine company members and new additions to bring the urgency and the emotional heft of Herzog’s adaptation to life.
AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE plays in TimeLine Theatre Company’s new theater home, 5035 North Broadway, through June 27, 2026. Tickets are $62-$95.
Visit timelinetheatre.com for tickets.
Photo Credit: Brett Beiner
FAQS About An Enemy of the People at TimeLine Theatre Company in Chicag
Where is An Enemy of the People playing? The production plays at TimeLine Theatre Company’s brand-new permanent theater home, located at 5035 North Broadway in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood.
When does the show run? An Enemy of the People runs through June 27, 2026.
How long is the run-time for the production? The running time is approximately 2 hours, which includes one 15-minute intermission.
How much do tickets cost? Tickets range from $62 to $95, depending on the performance date and seating availability.
Where can I buy tickets? You can purchase tickets directly online by visiting timelinetheatre.com.
Is this a new version of the play? Yes, this staging features a contemporary and taut adaptation by Amy Herzog, based on the classic 1882 masterwork by Henrik Ibsen. It is directed by Ron OJ Parson and marks the inaugural production in TimeLine’s new space.