@showsiveseen “An Enemy of the People” #play by @unionartscenter & @seattleshakespeareco starring Aaron Blakely. Erin Brockovich meets Henrik #Ibsen. Timely mirror to the state of our country. Excellent mob scene fight choreographed by @geoffreyalm. Perfect for Seattle’s hero-complex, idealist activist spirit. Only 1 more performance left! Review: showsiveseen.com/13748 #scandal #corruption #conspiracy ♬ Way down We Go – KALEO
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): An Enemy of the People play by Union Arts Center & Seattle Shakespeare Company starring Aaron Blakely. Erin Brockovich meets Henrik Ibsen. Timely mirror to the state of our country. Excellent mob scene fight choreographed by Geoffrey Alm. Perfect for Seattle’s hero-complex, idealist activist spirit. Only 2 performances left!
See it if you enjoy dialogue plays.
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Probably not, but it was good.
Mainstream Appeal: Low to medium
If A Random Stranger Asked What Show They Should See This Weekend, Would I Mention This Production? Yes
My Synopsis (No Spoilers): When a physician discovers that the town’s lucrative public baths (their lifeblood of income) are dangerously contaminated, the community is forced to confront an unsettling choice: protect public health or bankrupt the townsfolk.
Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: The Tony Award-winning adaptation comes to Seattle! Amy Herzog’s “smart, sharp, and relevant” (Deadline) take on this Henrik Ibsen timeless classic wraps us deep in an entangled web of truth, power and complacency. Dr. Stockmann has it all – but when he uncovers a catastrophe in the making that threatens lives, he runs up against those in power. As tensions rise, Stockmann must choose: follow his conscience, and risk destruction? Or join the conspiracy?
Type: Play
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Few
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Few
Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Mostly static
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes, but it was more dialogue than action.
Union Actors: 6
Total Actors: 13
Perceived Pace of the Show: Like many plays, it started slow without a good hook, but it eventually picked up stride to medium speed.
Was there an intermission? Yes
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours
Other Rave(s)
- Looking Glass: This production was timely given our country’s current state of affairs. It evoked the tensions of the COVID-19 era balancing public health against economic pressures. It also highlighted the friction between the masses and perceived elitism of learned healthcare professionals like with vaccinations and COVID-19. It critiqued corporations that complicitly pass the bill of their own cost-cutting mistakes onto taxpayers. At its core, the show was a stark reminder of how money drives decisions and influences the world around us.
- Binary Morality: Similarly, the production highlighted that the heroic ideal of always doing what is ‘right’ can be a flawed, binary way of viewing morality. It demonstrated that following an absolute ‘do what is right’ philosophy should be more nuanced, involving difficult decisions that can inadvertently harm ordinary people. The play showed the perspective that there are casualties in the pursuit of idealism.
- Performative Progressivism: I loved how the script skewered performative progressivism and activism pursued more for the thrill of disruption than genuine conviction. Billing (played by Josh Kenji Lanager) embodied the archetypal young faux-progressive from Brooklyn (or dare I say Capitol Hill) likely funded by mommy’s credit card who loudly champions causes for the sake of clout and chaos. They would just as quickly change their tune and sell their soul the moment those ideals threatened their own comfort.
- Confrontations: I love heightened emotional scenes of outbursts/arguments, and this production was rife with them. A standout moment was in Act One during a heated confrontation between brothers Thomas Stockmann (played by Aaron Blakely) and Peter Stockmann (played by Bradford Farwell).
- Town Hall: The second act opened with a town hall scene that ingeniously drew the audience (seated in the round) into the role of the townspeople. Geoffrey Alm’s fight choreography created a realistic mob scene, capturing the terrifying momentum of herd mentality with convincing falls and visceral intensity.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
- Ending (No Spoiler): The ending felt overly idealistic and conveniently resolved … maybe even lazy. Call me fatalistic, but the conclusion packaged in a tidy little bow can’t solve the complex problems presented in the play.
- Ensemble: Unfortunately, the ensemble didn’t get much stage time. I really only noticed them during the powerful second-act opener, when they appeared as heckling townspeople. It’s just as well though that it was one the most dramatic scene in the show.
- Chlorine: The scientific part of me thinks the play could have been easily resolved with modern chlorination. Though I suppose that wouldn’t make for much of a story!
Theatre Company: Union Arts Center (ACT Theatre and Seattle Shakespeare Company)
Venue: Union Arts Center
Venue Physical Address: 700 Union St, Seattle, WA 98101
Price Range: $87 to $104
Ticket Affordability Options: Check out the theatre’s official discount page.
Dates: September 20 to October 5, 2025
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: Paid lot or paid street parking. If I don’t walk to this theatre, I park in the old convention center garage with the entrance between Seneca and Pike. There is indoor access from the garage to the theatre if you walk through the old convention center.
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Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.
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