Matt Smith, best known for his roles in The Crown, Doctor Who, and House of the Dragon is set to return to the West End stage in 2024 in a new English-language adaptation of Thomas Ostermeier's production of Henrik Ibsen's play, An Enemy of the People.
Commenting on the production, Smith said in a statement: “Thomas Ostermeier pushes the form and boundaries of theatre; I have been a fan for quite some time. Seeing his Richard III with Lars Erdinger was electric. When I heard he was interested in coming to the British stage for the first time, with Ibsen’s classic An Enemy of the People I was delighted, to say the least. It is an honour to be able to work with him on this great play and become part of this unique project. We’re beginning an exciting casting process, and I very much look forward to returning to The Duke of York’s Theatre early next year.”
Thomas Ostermeier added: “As we face the immediate impact of climate change and global warming, and our seeming incapacity to change these burning threats, Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People is, unfortunately, more relevant than ever. This is an urgent reason to create an English version of the production for London, and I look forward to collaborating with Matt Smith, an actor whose body of work I greatly admire.”
The thought-provoking play by Ibsen follows Dr. Stockmann as he exposes a water contamination issue in a small town and the challenges he faces in pursuit of the truth.
An Enemy of the People will showcase at the Duke of York's Theatre from February 6th to April 6th, 2024, with an opening night scheduled for February 20th. Further casting for the production will be revealed at a later date.