An associate offers this important reflective and active challenge to us all. Peter
———- Forwarded message ———
From: Naomi Calligaro <naomicalligaro@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2024 at 11:33
Subject: The Ecologist: “Thomas Ostermeier’s ‘An Enemy of the People’ puts one of the most important messages of our time on centre stage” – Duke of York theatre in Covent Garden, London
Selected Friends,
Thought this article and play, below, might be of interest. With our planet in deep crisis, and the future of our planet and our species at risk, I consider the theatre a powerful way to help wake up humankind. Might any of you who are a long distance from London perhaps be able to help arrange for this play to tour in your location?
Might any of you who are in the media be able to help publicise this play? It would be wonderful if anyone / everyone could help in any other way, including prayer. My reality is that we need avalanches of prayer to help humankind and our planet survive the current era of darkness.
Humankind bears collective responsibility for the survival of our planet and species, and at this pivotal time for humankind and our planet, it alarms me how many ‘good’ people, ‘intelligent’ people, are “fiddling while Rome burns”. At this pivotal time in human history, we need “all shoulders to the wheel”, and we need to be particularly mindful about how we cast our votes when electing leaders.
Might any of you consider stepping forward and standing for election, on a ticket of integrity, inclusion, sustainability and peacebuilding? It seems to me that this is a time for fresh ‘blood’ to be standing in elections. It is my understanding that during WWII, British politicians in Westminster decided to prioritise the national interest over Party Politics, and set to one side Party Political rivalries, to form a unity Coalition Government for the duration of WWII. It is my understanding that Parliamentary meetings were moved from the Palace of Westminster to Church House, Westminster, for safety reasons, and that the circular design of the Assembly Hall at Church House, helped in fostering a sense of unity among politicians.
Are there any lessons in this for humankind??? In this era of great darkness, we need to make a conscious choice regarding whether we are going to be part of the problem, or part of the solution. My reality is that if we do not make the active choice to be part of the solution, and follow through with that choice, then, by default, we are part of the problem. My reality is that eventually each one of us will meet our Maker, and have to account for our actions, our inactions, our words, and our absence of words, here on earth. During my childhood, my adored little sister was killed crossing the road to me outside our home. This taught me that none of us know how long we will be here in physical form, and, accordingly, we need to be ready to meet our Maker at all times. My reality is that the Angels count and keep a record of all our actions, inactions, our words and our silences.
Regarding the play below, for the avoidance of any possible doubt, I have no financial interest in it. Please consider forwarding this email to anyone you know who might be interested. Collectively, we CAN change the world. Food for reflection!
Blessings to all,
Naomi
—– Forwarded message —–
From: The Ecologist <brendan@theecologist.org>
To: Naomi Calligaro <naomicalligaro@yahoo.co.uk>
Sent: Friday, 15 March 2024 at 08:18:02 GMT
Subject: An enemy of change
| Friday, 15 March 2024 DONATE Our top story this week…An enemy of change…Thomas Ostermeier’s ‘An Enemy of the People’ puts one of the most important messages of our time on centre stage.  Thomas Ostermeier’s ‘An Enemy of the People’ puts one of the most important messages of our time on centre stage, writes Ruby Harbour.Matt Smith is starring in Thomas Ostermeier’s staging of Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 comedy ‘An Enemy of the People’ at the Duke of York theatre in Covent Garden, London until Saturday, 13 April 2024. My initial interest in attending the production was peaked by the prospect of seeing a Doctor Who right before my eyes, but I soon found the play carries one of the most important messages of our time. Dr Thomas Stockmann discovers evidence that the town’s water supply has been contaminated. The audience watches as Stockmann painstakingly wrecks havoc on his friends, his family and himself in order to reveal the truth. And his struggle is all too real. Chaos The livelihoods of the people in the town depend on the existence of the baths – and therefore the water supply. People are drawn into the town due to the healing properties of them, bringing money and generating a wealthy tourist destination. When Stockmann wants to uncover the truth about the contaminated waters, those around him, including his controlling and manipulative brother, Peter Stockmann (Paul Hilton), do everything in their power to shut him down. His wife Katherina Stockmann, played by Jessica Brown Findlay, is confronted with financial burdens and the loneliness of taking the majority of the responsibility of caring for their baby. Stockmann is infuriating in his efforts to support his wife, for the determination to provide the town with the truth takes over like flames through a dry forest. The chaos and messiness on stage is a fitting reflection of our current societal and environmental issues. The most pivotal and poignant part of the play is Stockmann’s’ dramatic monologue. It is guaranteed to captivate the audience as he sheds light on the reality of our democracy. Dissent He refers to the failures of our government, pointing at the inability to prioritise climate action, and responds to, as Matt Smith says in an interview with Laura Kuenssberg, “so much disinformation and misinformation” by exclaiming “it is not a cost of living crisis, it’s an inequality crisis!” The fictional drama and the all too real truths intersect in the latter half of the play when the audience becomes a ‘council room’. Aslaksen, played by Priyanga Burford, stands in front of the stage and invites the audience to vote for whether they agree with the sentiments of Stockmann’s speech. The majority of the audience were in favour but when asked to expand on their reasons only a few shy hands began to raise. Passion and determinism then grew as the members of the public had the chance to say their piece. One person asked “can we talk about Alexei Navalny?”, the Russian opposition leader who died earlier in February. Dissent is dangerous in Russia. Stockmann is soon covered with paint, and he and his wife both lose their jobs: the play speaks clearly and eloquently to our current predicament. Read the rest of the article. https://theecologist.org/2024/mar/13/enemy-change |
| The Ecologist | The Resurgence Centre, Hartland, EX39 6AB United Kingdom Sent by brendan@theecologist.org |
| An enemy of change: Thomas Ostermeier’s ‘An Enemy of the People’ puts one of the most important messages of our time on centre stage. |
This Author: Ruby Harbour is the editorial assistant at The Ecologist. Ruby is now moving on from her role at The Ecologist to begin a new one as editorial assistant at Money Saving Expert as part of the Energy and Utilities team. Image: Ruby Harbour / The Ecologist.
