WWU students meet at crossroads of theatre and science with new staging of ‘An Enemy of the People’

This spring, the Theatre Department staged Henrik Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People,” a play originally written in 1882 but with issues that still feel contemporary. 

Ibsen’s play is about a doctor who discovers that the town’s newly constructed spa, a major tourist destination that serves as the town’s main economic force, has baths that have been contaminated by toxic runoff from a nearby tannery. The doctor attempts to warn the town about his scientific findings and the serious threat to human health, and proposes what he sees as a simple solution. Instead, he unintentionally releases a political firestorm that is played out through the press. 

At its heart, the play is about how stakeholders in a public arena come to an agreement — or don’t — over issues that divide a community.

But this isn’t a theater review; it’s a look at how art can be a powerful tool to communicate science, and how current events can inspire artists.

While the theater students were rehearsing Ibsen’s play, on another part of campus, Science and Management of Contaminated Sites (SMoCS) — a combination of Environmental Sciences students and policy and journalism-focused students from Environmental Studies — were learning about contaminated site cleanup processes, regulatory management, and the communication of science.

“In SMoCS, we talk about how to communicate our technical knowledge to those who don’t have the same background. Art is one way to do that,” said Professor of Environmental Science Ruth Sofield.

On a Thursday afternoon in early June, the SMoCs and theater groups met. The actors were preparing for their final dress rehearsal that evening. The instructors and students from SMoCS gathered in the front rows of the Performing Arts Center Mainstage Theatre to watch a performance of two scenes from the play, and then both groups shared thoughts, ideas, perspectives, and pizza.

“Although the arts and sciences overlap much more than people give it credit for, it’s unusual to have such a strong connection in this case,” said Professor Evan Mueller of Western’s Department of Theatre and Dance, who directed WWU’s production.

Kevin Harris (’21, Theatre and English) translated the play from Norwegian into English. In addition to being a dramaturg for this production, Harris an advisor in the Theatre Department.

Sometimes a historical play like “An Enemy of the People” provides the perfect opportunity to apply theater skills like performance, design, and technology while also exploring themes that are unexpectedly relevant.

“We were really inspired to bring a play whose content feels like it was being written today, written about our current struggles with environmental policy, the media, corruption in government, greed, etcetera,” said Mueller. “The juxtaposition of the period theatricality, such as the beautiful period costuming, with these explosively relevant themes has been incredibly exciting to create and to share with audiences.”

Mueller connected with Sofield and SMoCS co-instructor Zander Albertson, a senior instructor in the Environmental Studies Department, to bring the theater and SMoCS students together to explore the art-science connection.

Niyah Reid (’25, Environmental Science and Theatre) played the publisher of the local paper and chair of the property owners association, representing the town’s business interests, and an advocate for moderation. In addition to being in the play, Reid was also in SMoCS.

“When we started working on this play, I thought, hey, this is really similar to some of the ideas we’re talking about in another of my classes,” said Reid. 

“It’s been great as an actor, playing one of the antagonists, and being able to understand what that character represents based off examples we’ve seen in class and in the real world,” said Reid.

The play deals with human connections, moral conflict, and societal implications of challenging norms.

“The play reminded me how hard it is for people to choose between a job that pays the bills, feeds their families, and a healthier environment when things related to the work are the cause of the environmental issues,” said Sofield.

“We make decisions based on the people around us,” said Sofield. “Health consequences are further down the road, so the people you spend time with regularly are more important, and so you make decisions based on what your community thinks.”

The communication of science is complicated. There are ethical issues, economic issues, and, of course, health issues. People often feel threatened by science and by scientists. “If it’s not scary enough, no one cares. If it’s too scary, it’s fear mongering,” said Sofield. “It’s perilous.”

Ibsen’s play illustrates this peril, as the doctor and his family struggle to reconcile personal integrity with economic consequences and the pressures of society. 

At the same time, it shows how art can be a powerful tool to communicate complex ideas. 

Learn more about WWU’s Theatre, Environmental Studies, and Environmental Sciences departments. For more information about and to see examples of student projects, including using art to communicate science, visit the SMoCS, the Science and Management of Contaminated Sites website.

Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Frances Badgett covers the College of Fine and Performing Arts and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences for the Office of University Communications. Reach out to them with story ideas at neradj@wwu.edu and badgetf@wwu.edu.