Henrik Ibsen: An Enemy of the People
A handout image of a Schaubuhne Berlin production of An Enemy of the People. The company’s performances of Ibsen’s play in China in September, 2018, were cancelled by the authorities when audience members responded openly with calls for freedom of speech.
Reading of An Enemy of the People posted on YouTube
If you missed our reading of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People on Zoom, you can still watch it on YouTube. Here is the link.
Thanks to Anna Tierney of Untold Stories High for organizing this reading, featuring a terrific international cast of actors from the U.K. and Toronto:
Thanks as well to: Director Di Trevis, for her fascinating introduction; Peter Clements for his stunning performance as the hero/anti-hero Dr. Stockmann; Carly Street, playing the town’s manipulative mayor and Stockmann’s sister/brother; Jessica Sherman, for her wonderfully expressive role as Stockmann’s wife; David Hargreaves, the perfect Aslaksen, the printer who espoused moderation; Anna Tierney,as Petra, Stockmann’s daughter; David Tompa as Katherine’s unscrupulous father; Mathew Wernham as the loyal and brave sea captain; David Reale, appropriately attired in shirt, tie and vest as the newspaper editor, Hovstad; Alex Paxton Beesley as the reporter; Kate Ross-Leckie reading stage directions, as well as various parts; Eleanor McLoughlin and Lizzie Rose-Clarke, as Stockmann’s young children, as well as various parts; Ellie Elwand as a citizen and drunk, and Gabriel Scott as a citizen.
More about the Play
Since the election of Donald Trump in 2016, there has been a resurgence in productions of An Enemy. Now, with the world beset by a pandemic, the play — which also inspired the movie Jaws — seems more relevant than ever.
The Erin Brockovich of his day, Dr. Stockmann discovers the waters in his town’s therapeutic baths are contaminated and sets out to reveal this unpalatable and costly reality to the press, the authorities — including his brother the mayor — and his fellow citizens.
Ibsen poses the dilemma: What happens when a serious life-threatening problem collides with short-term economic well-being? What happens to whistleblowers? How free and wedded to the truth is the press? And what is the political outcome when protest is muzzled?
Dr. Stockmann is both hero and anti-hero. Fortunately, he maintains a sense of humour even as he tips over the edge into extremism. The play offers an interesting glimpse into the manipulations of those in power, the polarization that occurs when those espousing change are confronted by a brick wall, and the poisonous use of “alternative facts.”
A Norwegian, Ibsen is described by Wikipedia as a “founder of modernism in the theatre,” a “father of realism” and the world’s most performed dramatist after Shakespeare!
Join the Reading on Zoom!
The reading is free, hosted through Zoom. There is, however, a donation option on Eventbrite, with proceeds going to the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto or to Trinity Hospice in London (through the JustGiving page). Both causes can use our help right now.
To enjoy the readings, just download Zoom onto your laptop or tablet and then follow the URL link below before the appointed time. Audience members will be muted as they enter the reading so as not to cause confusion. Please download Zoom and test it ahead of time. If you have any problems joining, just use the chat option on Zoom to ask any questions. You can also email our host, Anna Tierney at untoldstorieshigh@gmail.com ahead of the reading.
To join the reading, click on the following Zoom link:
Sunday May 17th 2.30pm (Toronto time), 7.30pm (U.K GMT)
Once you’ve joined the reading, you can choose whether you’re visible by camera or not. During the reading we will ask that audience cameras/audio be turned off. If you wish to leave at any time, please do so! See You There!
The reading can also be watched on Untold Stories High YouTube site.
The Transatlantic Cast
Top Row, from left: Peter Clements, Carly Street. Second row: Jessica Sherman, David Hargreaves, Anna Tierney. Third row: Mathew Wernham, Alex Paxton Beesley.
We are thrilled to announce the actors, shown above and below, taking part in our reading of An Enemy of the People!
The Stockmann Household:
Dr. Thomas Stockmann (the whistleblower): Peter Clements
Katherine Stockmann (his wife): Jessica Sherman
Petra (daughter of Thomas and Katherine): Anna Tierney
Morten (child of Thomas and Katherine)/Citizen Four: Eleanor McLoughlin
Eilef (child of Thomas and Katherine)/Citizen Two: Lizzie Rose-Clarke
Captain Horster (the Doctor’s friend): Mathew Wernham
Peta Stockmann (Town’s mayor): Carly Street
Morten Kil (Katherine’s father): David Tompa
Newspaper Office
Mr. Aslaksen (the Printer): David Hargreaves
Hovstad: David Reale
Billing: Alex Paxton Beesley
Citizen One/Vik and Stage Directions: Kate Ross-Leckie
Citizen Three/Drunk Man: Ellie Ellwand
Citizen Five: Gabriel Scott
Cast: Top row, from left: David Reale, Ellie Ellwand. Second row: Lizzie Rose-Clarke; Sarah, David Tompa; Bottom row: Kate Ross-Leckie, Gabriel Scott.
Cast Bios
Peter Clements (Dr. Stockmann) Trained at Drama Centre London, he is an associate artist at Hackney Showroom. He also performs as a “fierce drag superstar” (Hiskind Magazine) and “cantankerous old bag” (Exeunt) Frau Welt. Television credits includes Frau Welt in Pennyworth (Warner Bros/Epix), Chaim Engel in Escape from Sobibor (PBS America). Film roles include Ballet of the Nations (Impermanence).
Jessica Sherman (Katherine Stockmann)
Jessica is a Toronto native, who trained in acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in the U.K. Currently on hold from the U.S. National Tour of Dear Evan Hansen, in which she plays Heidi Hansen.
Anna Tierney (Petra)
The force behind Untold Stories High, which has organized this reading, Anna is an actor from the U.K with firm roots in Toronto. She has worked with some of the world’s most prestigious theatre companies, including The Royal Shakespeare Company, Globe theatre, National Theatre and internally at the Guthrie Theater and Toronto’s Royal Alex. She loves running Untold Stories High as a way to connect actors, directors and writers and explore our unique stories.
Eleanor McLoughlin (Morten/Citizen Four)
An Irish actress, Eleanor trained at Drama Centre London. She has worked in theatre and film internationally.
Lizzie Rose-Clarke (Eilef/Citizen Two):
Lizzie is a British born Actress based in London. She works predominantly in Film, Theatre and Voiceover. She is currently working on the garden.
Mathew Wernham (Captain Horster)
Matthew, a London-based actor, is also a movement practitioner on staff at RADA and Drama Centre.
Carly Street (Peta Stockmann)
Taking a role in this play originally written for a male actor, Carly is a Toronto actor and singer, and has worked at the major stages across the country, as well as the US and Broadway. She is using this quarantine time to mind-meld with her cat, and drink gin martinis.
David Tompa (Morten Kil)
He has been involved in the Toronto film/theatre industry for almost 20 years as an actor, director, and teacher. He likes it very much.
David Hargreaves (Aslaksen)
From plays at the National Theatre during Olivier’s tenure at the Old Vic to Moira Buffini’s (currently suspended) play Manor at The National Theatre, David’s theatre and film career spans more than 50 years. Other theatre credits include the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court, Shakespeare’s Globe and over a hundred productions in the U.K. and abroad. Recently he can also be found in the brilliant hit comedies This Country and Fleabag.
David Reale (Hovstad)
David has many TV and theatre credits, including seven years on the TV show SUITS . (He wasn’t he wasn’t invited to the Royal wedding.)
Alex Paxton Beesley (Billing)
Alex is a Torontonian and an actor. Billing was originally written as a male role.
Ellie Ellwand (Citizen Three. Drunk Man):
You can catch Ellie onscreen in Band Ladies (web series), A Higher Loyalty (CBS) and an upcoming feature film, Adult Adoption. Her theatre creds include What I call her (Crow’s Theatre), The Nails (Summerworks) and The Queen’s Eulogy (T.O. Fringe).
Kate Ross Leckie (Citizen One/Vik and Stage Directions):: An actor from Toronto, she is spending most of the quarantine eating bread and doing puzzles. She has never acted over Zoom.
Gabriel Scott (Fifth Citizen)
Gabriel has just graduated from Royal Welsh College in Cardiff and is very excited for this opportunity to be able to read with actors from all over and make good use of this spare time!
Past Readings
Going online: A Streetcar Named Desire
To enjoy the second half of Streetcar Named Desire, Wednesday April 8, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. click this URL. https://us04web.zoom.us/j/554705589 The password is 050776.
Untold Stories High, a local play reading and story sharing group with whom we have been working to start a program at the studio, will present Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire in two parts on Zoom: Sunday, April 5 and Wednesday, April 8 from 7:00 to – 8:30 p.m.
The Sunday session will begin with a 30-minute southern-accent voice workout for the actors, and y’all can join in if you want!
The events are free, hosted through Zoom. But you can make a donation through this Eventbrite page, with all proceeds going to the Daily Bread Food Bank.
How to take part:
To enjoy the reading, download Zoom here onto your laptop or tablet. If you have any problems, use the Zoom chat option for help. If you have any questions, email our host, actor Anna Tierney, in advance.
Click on the link below at the appointed times to join in for the second half on Wednesday:
Part Two: Wednesday, April 8, 7 p.m. https://us04web.zoom.us/j/554705589
The password is 050776.
Audience members will be muted as they enter the reading so as not to cause confusion. You can also choose whether you’re visible or not on Zoom, and you can leave at any point if you wish!
Here’s a copy of the play, which you can download. It includes a thought-provoking essay by Williams about life and success.
We’re looking forward to seeing you as we embark on this new adventure!
The Casts
Sunday, April 5, 7pm-8.30pm (1st Half. Scenes 1-5)
Top row from left: Anna Tierney, Sarah Kolasky, David Tompa. Second row from left: Lara Jean Chorostecki, David Reale, Tony DeSantis. Bottom row: Alex Paxton-Beesley, Carly Street.
Blanche Du Bois – Carly Street
Stella Kowalski- Alex Paxton-Beesley
Eunice Hubbel- Lara Jean Chorostecki
Various roles- Sarah Kolasky
Stanley Kowalski- David Reale
Mitch (harold mitchell)- Tony DeSantis
Steve Hubbel/other male roles – David Tompa
Stage Directions – Anna Tierney
Wednesday, April 8, 7pm-8.30pm (2nd half, Scenes 6-11)
Top, from left: Rebecca Whitby, Zoe Belkin, Tony DeSantis Middle row from left: Sasha Wentges, Dave Reale, David Tompa Bottom row, from left: Anna Tierney, Jessica Sherman
Blanche Du Bois – Jessica Sherman
Stella Kowalski – Anna Tierney
Eunice Hubbel- Sasha Wentges
Various roles- Zoe Belkin
Stanley Kowalski -David Tompa
Mitch (harold mitchell)- David Reale
Steve Hubbel/other male roles – Tony DeSantis
Stage Directions – Bec Whitby
Cast Member Biographies
Zoe Belkin is a Toronto born actor who has appeared in numerous film and television productions. She has worked along side Abigail Breslin, Julianne Moore, Chloe Grace Moretz and Alexandra Schipp. She started acting at age twelve and has been working ever since.
Lara Jean Chorostecki is a Toronto-based actress whose career has spanned many genres and mediums both on stage and screen.
Tony DeSantis is a two time Dora Award winner and has worked in
film, TV and stage across North America for the last 40 years.
Sarah Kolasky is an award-winning actor and filmmaker from Toronto. Her first feature film, Great Great Great, is a dark comedy in which she starred, as well as produced and co-wrote. It premiered at the 2017 Canadian Film Fest and won Best Feature, Best Screenplay, and Best Performance in a Feature.
Alex Paxton-Beesley is a Torontonian and an actor, and speaking in a southern accent is one of her very favourite things.
David Reale is a three-time Olympic bronze medalist; twice for acting and once for the one where they are on skiis with guns. He was on that TV show SUITS for 7 years (but he didn’t get invited to the Royal wedding) and did a play called JOHN in Winnipeg in 2019.
Carly Street is a Toronto actor and singer, and has worked at the major stages across the country, as well as the US and Broadway. She is using this quarantine time to mind-meld with her cat, and drink gin martinis.
Anna Tierney is an actor from the U.K with firm roots in Toronto- she has worked with some of the world’s most prestigious theatre companies including The Royal Shakespeare Company, Globe theatre, National Theatre and internally at the Guthrie Theater and Toronto’s Royal Alex. She loves running Untold Stories High as a way to connect actors, directors and writers and explore our unique stories.
David Tompa has been involved in the Toronto film/theatre industry for almost 20 years as an actor, director, and teacher. He likes it very much.
Sasha Wentges, recently returned from a vacation on one of the last cruise ship sailing the high seas, feels blessed that she has now completed her 14 days of mandatory self-isolation and is grateful that she was still able to cross the border before everything shut down. She has always relied on the ‘kindness of strangers’, perhaps now more than ever.
Rebecca Whitby is an actor and voice over artist living in Toronto. She is very excited to translate live theatre to an internet medium. Sending love to all, during such uncertain times.
