David Binder Productions and Wessex Grove today announce the West End production of Thomas Ostermeier’s bold reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People, originally produced at Schaubühne Berlin. Making his West End debut, Ostermeier directs Matt Smith as Dr Stockmann, opening at the Duke of York’s Theatre on 20 February 2024, with previews from 6 February, and runs until 6 April.
To sign up for priority access on 20 September please register at www.anenemyofthepeople.co.uk
Public on sale is on 21 September. The full company will be announced shortly.
Matt Smith said today, “Thomas Ostermeier pushes the form and boundaries of theatre; I have been a fan for quite some time. Seeing his Richard III with Lars Erdinger was electric. When I heard he was interested in coming to the British stage for the first time, with Ibsen’s classic An Enemy of the People I was delighted to say the least. It is an honour to be able to work with him on this great play and become part of this unique project. We’re beginning an exciting casting process, and I very much look forward to returning to The Duke of York’s Theatre early next year.”
What is truth without power?
Doubt spreads faster than disease in Ibsen’s thought-provoking play about truth in a society driven by power and money.
When Dr Stockmann makes an unbelievable discovery about the healing waters in his local baths, he holds the future of the town in his hands, but those with everything to lose refuse to accept his word. As the battle goes beyond contaminated water, barriers are broken in this contemporary production as Ostermeier shows us why this perennial classic will be relevant forever.
Making his West End debut, celebrated director Thomas Ostermeier‘s iconoclastic production of An Enemy of the People premieres at the Duke of York’s Theatre for a strictly limited run.
Thomas Ostermeier added, “As we face the immediate impact of climate change and global warming, and our seeming incapacity to change these burning threats, Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People is unfortunately more relevant than ever. This is an urgent reason to create an English version of the production for London, and I look forward to collaborating with Matt Smith, an actor whose body of work I greatly admire.”
David Binder, Benjamin Lowy, and Emily Vaughan-Barratt commented, “It is thrilling to be able to announce the magnificent artistic marriage of Thomas Ostermeier, his seminal An Enemy of the People, and the extraordinary actor Matt Smith for the West End next year. This celebrated production has been enjoyed in German around the world and to be able to present this production in English at the Duke of York’s is an absolute privilege. Matt is a brilliant and daring actor who is going to thrill audiences as Dr Stockmann, and Thomas is a visionary artist, and we are so lucky he is making his West End debut with this admired production.”
