Concept and Direction by Christiane Jatahy
Written by Christiane Jatahy, Lucas Paraizo & Wagner Moura
Review by Dominic Corr
Transforming classic literature into a living, breathing arena for democratic debate is an ambitious undertaking. Still, Brazilian director Christiane Jatahy pulls it off with extraordinary theatrical panache in A Trial at The Royal Lyceum Theatre as a part of The Edinburgh International Festival. Conceived alongside co-writers Lucas Paraizo and lead actor Wagner Moura, this sharp, metatheatrical event picks up after the fallout of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People.
Transposing the original crisis of public water contamination into a modern setting, the production places its central whistle-blower directly on trial before the audience, examining how autocratic systems, corporate greed, and manufactured culture wars work in tandem to silence legitimate dissent. By tearing down the fourth wall and seating eleven randomly selected audience members on stage as an active jury, the staging mutates from a standard revival into a compelling, unpredictable interrogation of power, truth, and contemporary political polarisation – and a damning indictment of cancel-culture.
Carrying the emotional weight of this complex experiment is an exceptional lead performance from Moura as Thomas Stockman. Moving effortlessly between in-character dramatic action and direct, conversational addresses to the auditorium, Moura brings an undeniable charismatic force to the central role, making the personal toll of systemic persecution feel painfully visceral. He is matched step-for-step by a fierce supporting cast: Danilo Grangheia radiates political hostility as Peter, Thomas’ brother embodying state power, but does so with the expectant louchness – butter wouldn’t melt, but he’ll charge you for the privelage. And had the script afforded more in the way of the prosecution’s evidence; would have put out a damning case. While Julia Bernat brings intense, raw vulnerability as the daughter fighting through grief and bureaucracy to lay out the evidence.
Quasi-stenographers, and clerks make up the bulk of the rest, as the integration of live camera feeds, pre-recorded media, and a technical crew operating in plain view creates a fascinating multi-layered atmosphere, even if navigating the English surtitles alongside the fast-paced Portuguese dialogue occasionally demands rapid visual gymnastics from the front rows; but trust me, it’s worth the strain over the two and half hours.
Where the production stumbles is in the framing of its core moral conundrum. Because the corporate cover-up of poisoned water is so unambiguously heinous, the central ethical debate feels weighted from the start; the opposing arguments regarding economic fallout struggle to mount a truly persuasive counterweight against public safety. Consequently, the central question put to the jury lacks the genuine ideological friction required to make the ultimate verdict feel like an impossible philosophical toss-up; but still, your ideology doesn’t always align with the majority – and the results can offer some fascinating outcomes.
Nevertheless, Jatahy’s audacious fusion of live trial, family tragedy, and political commentary remains a gripping night at the theatre. By refusing to treat classic drama as a relic, A Trial exposes the chilling ease with which truth can be dismantled in the digital age, leaving the audience to walk out into the Edinburgh night questioning the very mechanics of modern justice.
A Gripping Night
A Trial – after An Enemy of the People runs The Royal Lyceum Theatre until August 10th
Running time – Two hours and thirty minutes without interbal
Photo credit – Jess Shurte
Review by Dominic Corr (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Editor of Corr Blimey, and a freelance critic for Scottish publications, Dominic has been writing freelance for several established and respected publications such as BBC Radio Scotland, The List, The Scotsman, Edinburgh Festival Magazine, The Reviews Hub, In Their Own League, The Wee Review and Edinburgh Guide. As of 2023, he is a member of the Critic’s Award for Theatre Scotland (CATS) and a member of the UK Film Critics.
