4 STARS
The Nottingham New Theatre’s reinvigoration of The Diary of Anne Frank successfully plays its part in immortalising Anne Frank’s story. An opening statement of deafening silence awakens a truly emotive journey through triumph and despair, bringing her legacy to life.
Impeccable storytelling boldly unfolds the truthful, inspirational and unfailingly optimistic words of Anne (Rachel Towers). Another theatrical re-enactment of Anne’s heart-breaking tale had the potential to be emotionally draining, however the cast’s energy breathes new life into the theatre, as does the script in its entirety. In light of recent events, this heartfelt depiction is relevant and representative of so many voices, in the sense that it continues to disseminate the message of hope and faith, regardless of the fact that war and conflict continue to persist.
The intimacy of the set allows a profound insight into a community of recognisable characters, shining a light on the taken-for-granted trivialities of everyday life. Heightened by this sense of enclosure, the relationship between Anne Frank and her father (Jake McGrath) is sincere and moving. More challenging relationships reveal the humorous yet agonising tensions of family feuds, played upon in a light-hearted and relatable manner.
Flashing from emotional traumas to trivial dilemmas in a matter of seconds perhaps makes the performance a little less fluent. The missing details such as references to Kitty and some unrealistic characterisations spoil what could have been a five star performance. However, this delightful tribute to Anne Frank is superbly written and leaves this low point in history seared in the memory of the audience. Encapsulating the important overriding message, is the bold end statement of the performance: “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart”.
The Diary of Anne Frank continues at The Nottingham New Theatre until Saturday 28th November.
For more information and how to buy tickets, visit: http://newtheatre.org.uk/whats-on/
Edited by Georgina Varley
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http://ticketing.newtheatre.org.uk