A whistle blower's "Solid like a wall" support quickly collapses in "An Enemy of the People"

This  production of  An  Enemy Of  the People  moves fast, but not too fast  to catch  a  few similes. . .


The Manhattan Theatre Club's splendid, all too timely revival of  Henrik Ibsen's  whistle blower story.   When we meet  idealistic hero, Doctor  Thomas  Stockmann  he's bathed   in  support   that's   strong as a  wall--  but  talk of    taxes and  lost readership,  quickly bring  out the pragmatism in   the  liberal-minded   editor   and   his prone to compromise printer.  Their  solid like a wall support  not only  crumbles  but  turns them  into the good doctor's  enemies. 

 The embattled  Stockmann   remains determined  in his  moral stand though  and promises  not to let  the hostile  crowd at  a town meeting unsettle him, assuring his wife  "I'll be as calm as the sea." 

When  the  hostile  majority  ignores  Stockmann's  warnings  and  not only dubs him   an enemy of the people but  threatens  his safety,  he decides to  leave Norway for America.  However his optimism  is  frayed  and  he warns his wife that  "They’re probably not much better in America. The majority’s rampant there too. But at least it’s more dispersed. They’ll kill you. But they won’t torture you slowly like a cat with a bird." 

My  review of  this production is  at   Curtainup www.curtainup.com/enemyofthepeople12.html