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An Enemy of the People Reviews
Washington Post- Recommended
"...Directed by Janos Szasz, the new production uses playwright Amy Herzog's streamlined, contemporary update of the script, first seen on Broadway in 2024 starring Jeremy Strong. Like Arthur Miller before her, Herzog Americanizes Ibsen's play, making it more palatable to contemporary audiences, excising some of the troublesome eccentricities of Ibsen, and smoothing over the deeply problematic Act IV, in which the good-natured, philanthropically minded Dr. Stockmann reveals himself as a megalomaniacal elitist who has been reading too much Nietzsche."
DC Theater Arts- Recommended
"...Though Ibsen leaves little room for doubt that Thomas's findings are true, the real world is not always so clear. A certain reading of An Enemy of the People could inadvertently embolden those whose notion of truth is warped to be more strident in their views, a spirit that has perhaps led to the polarization we live with today. But a more generous reading is what we would all do well to walk away with: a recalibration of our moral compass, a reaffirmation of the responsibility we have to others in our communities, and a reminder that truth can begin with us, but it must not end with us."
MD Theatre Guide- Recommended
"...This play doesn't hinge on some grand finale or unexpected twist. What we get is a play about deeply philosophical issues with all-too human costs. Herzog's script, while fairly loyal to Ibsen's original, does offer some modern-day departures. One might argue, the play is made more manageable and certainly more of-the-moment. In Szasz's hands, Ibsen's work becomes something deeply complex and, theatrically speaking, alienating. Szasz's direction imagines this quaint little spa town as something quite different than what you might expect. Some of it works very well, and some of it seems experimentally peculiar."
BroadwayWorld- Somewhat Recommended
"...The audience grogs their groggers, as should be expected, at the mayor or Aslaksen or Hovstad whenever they attempt to silence the doctor - but this just spins the scene into utter chaos. Thomas has no support, that's the point. The townspeople are aligned against him, that's the point."