Municipal and family politics collide in this "ripped from the headlines" contemporary adaptation of Ibsen's classic.
Skien, Norway. The present day.
The play opens with KRIS KEEL (DR. STOCKMANN's partner) dealing with a revolving door of people visiting their home. His father MORTON and brother-in-law, Mayor PETER STOCKMANN are locked in a nasty battle for City Council; two local journalists, HANNAH HOVSTAD and her producer BILLIE; HORSTER a friend of the family; and his own two children PETRA and ELLIE.
Meanwhile, DR. STOCKMANN discovers that the spa water her town and brother are banking on is contaminated. She plans to go public with the information, aided and egged on by her friends in the press.
When he hears of her plan, her brother PETER is horrified. He insists she hold off and allow him to deal with it in a way that will not lead to financial ruin for the town. She refuses.
While DR. STOCKMANN prepares to go public, PETER works his back channels to buy off the press and convince the public his sister is not telling the truth.
DR. STOCKMANN gives a press conference in which she berates her fellow citizens for their stupidity, and the press for being so beholden to their political masters.
The town rejects DR. STOCKMANN and her family. Their home is vandalized and vile things are said on social media. As she is visited by each of her tormenters in the final scene DR. STOCKMANN's eyes are, at last, opened to the realities of the world, and she is determined to make a fresh start for herself and her family.
Produced by Looking Glass Productions, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Master Playwright Festival, Gas Station Theatre, 2019