Christiane Jatahy picks up where Ibsen left off.  

In Ibsen's groundbreaking 1882 play, An Enemy of the People, protagonist Thomas Stockmann faces shame and exile after attempting to expose a water pollution scandal in his hometown. More than a century later, Ibsen’s work remains urgent, grappling with the conflict between personal integrity and social conformity.

Jatahy’s sequel throws Stockmann, played by Golden Globe-winning actor Wagner Moura (Narcos, The Secret Agent), into a modern-day public courtroom to determine his fate. Lawyers and judges are noticeably absent, and it’s up to a jury of audience members to decide if he is innocent or whether he is indeed an ‘enemy of the people’.  

Transplanting Ibsen’s themes to contemporary Brazil, A Trial – after An Enemy of the People offers a sharp look at authoritarianism, fake news and public judgement. Ever inventive and deeply political, Jatahy combines audience participation and filmed footage, creating a one-of-a-kind performance each night where the line between reality and fiction is constantly blurred.

A special collaboration between Edinburgh International Festival, Festival d'Avignon and Holland Festival, the three European festivals established in 1947.

Audience Participation

Each night, 11 people who register before the performance are randomly selected to serve as the jury. They have the power to decide on Stockmann's guilt, playing a pivotal role in shaping the ending of the play.

Supported by Edinburgh International Festival Endowment Fund
with additional support from the Consulate General of Brazil in Edinburgh and Instituto Guimarães Rosa