Matt Smith ‘delighted’ at West End return starring in thought-provoking play

British actor Matt Smith is to return to the West End leading a cast in a reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s play An Enemy Of The People.

The House Of The Dragon actor, 40, said he is “looking forward” to returning to the Duke of York’s Theatre starring as Thomas Stockmann, having last appeared at the theatre in Polly Stenham’s production of That Face in 2008.

Smith last appeared on stage opposite Claire Foy in Lungs, which played at the Old Vic in 2019 as well as socially distanced virtual performances during the 2020 lockdown.

The Ibsen play, which will open for a limited run on February 20 until April 6 next year, is German theatre director Thomas Ostermeier’s West End debut.

He described the play as “more relevant than ever” amid the global climate crisis.

Smith, who starred in The Crown as the late Duke of Edinburgh and as the Time Lord in Doctor Who, said: “Thomas Ostermeier pushes the form and boundaries of theatre, I have been a fan for quite some time.

“Seeing his Richard III with Lars Eidinger 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.”

The production, which has been adapted several times for the screen and stage, tells a thought-provoking story about “truth in a society driven by power and money”, theatre producer David Binder Productions said.

It will see Smith’s character make a discovery about the healing waters in his local baths but “those with everything to lose refuse to accept his word”, with the story breaking beyond the boundaries of contaminated water.

The adaptation set for the Duke of York’s Theatre was originally produced in German at the Schaubuhne Berlin by Ostermeier and Florian Borchmeyer.

Ostermeier, 55, said: “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 full company will be announced shortly, the production company said on Tuesday.

Tickets for the play are set for public sale on September 21.