Acclaimed Brazilian actor and filmmaker Wagner Moura is starring in the play A Trial — after An Enemy of the People at the Edinburgh International Festival, bringing urgent political themes of authoritarianism and misinformation to the stage. Directed by Christiane Jatahy, the production serves as a contemporary theatrical sequel to Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 drama, placing the classic story’s central conflicts directly into the crosshairs of modern political polarization and public judgment.
Speaking about the production, Moura emphasized the deep national scars left by twentieth-century oppression. “We in Brazil, we know what a dictatorship is. We know how harmful that is, how horrible that is, how bad that is,” Moura stated, referencing the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil from 1964 to 1985.
Beyond historical reflection, the production directly addresses current political shifts and the rise of populist strongmen. Moura draws direct parallels between the military regime of the twentieth century and the leadership of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently imprisoned following an attempted coup d’état.
Reimagining Ibsen in a Modern Courtroom Setting
Christiane Jatahy’s theatrical vision reimagines the core conflict of Ibsen’s original work, where the protagonist Thomas Stockmann faced shame and exile after attempting to expose a water pollution scandal in his hometown. In Jatahy’s modern adaptation, Stockmann is thrust directly into a public courtroom to answer for his attempts to speak uncomfortable truths. The production strips away traditional theatrical safety nets by eliminating both lawyers and judges from the stage, leaving the final verdict entirely in the hands of the audience.
According to production details from the Edinburgh International Festival, each performance incorporates active audience participation to determine the fate of the protagonist. Eleven individuals who register ahead of the performance are randomly selected each night to serve as the jury, holding the power to decide whether Stockmann is innocent or whether he is indeed an ‘enemy of the people’.
The staging blends live performance with filmed footage, intentionally blurring the lines between dramatic fiction and real-world political trials. The collaborative international project brings together major European cultural institutions, receiving support from the Edinburgh International Festival Endowment Fund alongside additional backing from the Consulate General of Brazil in Edinburgh and the Instituto Guimarães Rosa.
The Intersection of Art, Exile, and Political Resistance
For Moura, whose international career spans roles in the Netflix series Narcos and The Secret Agent, the production represents a continuation of his off-screen advocacy.