DIARY OF ANNE FRANK: Adapt Goodrich, Kackett, Kesselman till 9 November

DIARY OF ANNE FRANK: Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett: Adapt Wendy Kesselman
Birmingham Rep
Runs: 2h 10m, one interval, till 9 November
Review: Rod Dungate, 21 October 2002

Still amazingly powerful in this taut production.
Based on the diaries of young Anne Frank, the play is amazingly powerful in this Birmingham Rep production. The flesh and blood in front of you give the tragic tale of suffering under a brutal regime an immediacy that drives the message home. Vicious totalitarian regimes, racial, religious, gender, sexual oppressions are still with us we must oppose them all wherever they raise their ugly head.

A fair proportion of the power of this production must go, though, to Wendy Kesselman's adaptation of the original play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. The play is still not devoid of sentiment (the tone of the young Anne leaping about the attic that is to become her home, the relationship between Peter Van Daan and Anne and strawberries) but the play has a new steely spine, the play appears healthier to our eyes more distant as they are from the real events.

Directors Neale Birch and Jonathan Church have created a firm shape for the production and there is a tangible sense of passing time. Both Anne and Peter (Miriam Hughes and Gareth Nicholls) mature in a most touching way, but also the other characters can be seen to resign themselves to their harsh regimes. The monotonous passing of time marked by the striking of a carillon-like nearby clock.

The very harshness of their regime is itself emphasised by the tensions that arise between the two families thrust together. They flash into squabbles, rows, hurtful things said. Particularly strong are Edith Frank's outbursts in the second half (Alexandra Mathie).

As you watch the play unfold, it seems that to hide two families for nearly two years is something of a miracle in itself, and says much for the bravery of the Frank's supporters and others like them here Miep Gies. Jenny Ogilvie's Miep is bright and warm it's her underplayed matter-of-factness that makes every appearance count.

If anything mars this strong production it's the ending. The directors' decision to have no curtain call is a miscalculation, not to say patronising. In the audience we are cheated of our chance to thank the team for offering us a refreshed view on the world and join with them in a moment of celebration of the life of a brave young Jewish girl. We don't like having this chance taken away from us: the all-important moment of closure is gone.

Otto Frank: Julian Forsyth
Anne Frank: Miriam Hughes
Edith Frank: Alexandra Mathie
Margot Frank: Rachel Edwards
Miep Gies: Jenny Ogilvie
Peter Van Dann: Gareth Nicholls
Mr Kraler: Peter Cadden
Mr Van Daan: Andrew Neil
Mrs Van Daan: Zena Walker
Mr Dussel: Richard Kane
SS Officer: Peter Cadden
Dutch Collaborators: Luke Cadd, Matthew Seymour

Directors: Neale Birch, Jonathan Church
Designer: Hayden Griffin
Lighting: Andy Phillips
Sound: Matthew Scott

2002-10-23 11:03:04