Review: Stratford Festival's THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK is an Honest and Stunning production

On Thursday May 28th, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK opened at the Stratford Festival. It was an honest, stunning production that featured beautiful performances by all involved.

As audiences enter Stratford Festival's Avon Theatre for this production, they will hear a myriad of voices through the sound system-male, female, young, and old, reading passages from Anne Frank's diary. Later, as the actors take the stage, they each take a moment to introduce themselves to the audience, state the character they are playing, and share an anecdote from their childhood from when they were around Anne's age in the play. Some share stories from family members about the Second World War, some tell stories of young love, or loss. These brief moments are very poignant because they do three important things. The actors allow themselves to open up and share a private part of themselves, just as Anne Frank has done. These anecdotes also demonstrate a shared sense of humanity that we all have with one another, and with the characters who are about to come to life in the play, whilst simultaneously highlighting the striking differences between these stories of care free innocence and simple freedoms in our youth, with the type of adolescence that Anne Frank experienced-hidden away in a dark, quiet annex with the same seven people, unable to see the light of day or go to school, constantly fearing being found. Any of us could have been Anne. That is why we all can relate to her diary. That is why it does not matter whose voice is reading it to us. It is this shared humanity that is so necessary in ensuring that a story like hers does not continue to be repeated throughout history.

Written for the stage by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett and adapted by Wendy Kesselman, this production of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK is directed by Jillian Keiley, and is presented by the Schulich Children's Theatre. Knowing that many young audiences will be attending this play, the choice to have each company member introduce oneself and their character, describe the set, explain what 'chorus' means, etc. whilst sharing their childhood anecdotes, makes a great deal of sense. This play is certainly for humans of any age, but it is good that the director and the cast have taken the opportunity to allow young people to truly become immersed in what they are about to see.

As Anne, Sara Farb is simply superb. It takes a brief moment to adjust to the transformation from the poised performer introducing herself and explaining why this play is important to her, to the innocent young girl who comes prancing into the secret Annex where the Frank family would spend the next two years. There is no adjustment needed to her transformation throughout the play; however. The direction of Ms. Keiley and the performance of Ms. Farb allow Anne to naturally evolve and mature as her story unfolds.

The rest of the cast is equally as fantastic. As Anne's older sister Margot, Shannon Taylor beautifully presents us with a smart, graceful young woman who, at first appears to be the antithesis of Anne, but who eventually reconnects with young Anne and acts as a confidante and friend. Similarly, Lucy Peacock is heartbreaking as Anne's mother, Edith. Struggling to remain hopeful for her family, but terrified of what may lie ahead, Edith is a character through whom the audience is able to witness Anne's emotional growth. At first, Anne is angry with her mother but as the time passes, she begins to empathize with the struggles that Edith has faced and the worry she lives with each day. Ms. Peacock and Ms. Farb portray this complicated relationship beautifully. It is devastating to think that unlike with most families, the challenging relationship that exists while Anne is a teenager never has the opportunity to develop into the unconditional friendship that so many mother-daughter bonds do.

Joseph Ziegler is excellent as Otto Frank. He exudes a warmth and a strength that carries through the entire play. The moment when he returns alone to the Annex after the war is utterly devastating. As the van Daans, Kevin Bundy and Yanna McIntosh give formidable performances of relatable, yet flawed human beings, who struggle under the conditions they are forced into, yet eventually find strength in each other. As their shy son Peter, André Morin is so good that the audience falls for him just as Anne does. Like Ms. Farb, Mr. Morin presents his character's growth and maturity in a very organic way. It feels like a true privilege to see these characters share private moments and grow into adults. The honesty shared with the world through Anne Frank's diary truly is a gift.

Maev Beaty and Ryan Field bring a sense of light and hope as Miep Gies and Mr. Kraler, respectively-characters who bring that same light and hope to the occupants of the Annex. Christopher Morris brings an awkward humour to the role of Mr. Dussel (though Mr. Dussel would likely not see himself as funny).

Along with reading passages from Anne's diary and portraying the minor characters in the play, the members of the chorus provide the instrumentation of the score. All music in this production is done exclusively with the human voice, and to great effect. Considering how the eight people living in the secret Annex had very little to entertain themselves and had to work with the simple things they possessed, this simple, yet beautiful way of scoring the play seems incredibly appropriate. Similarly, the set design by Bretta Gerecke initially appears to be very simple woodwork, though it is soon discovered to be quite elaborate in that by one push or pull, a stairway appears or a door frame separates the rooms. This, combined with the lighting by Leigh Ann Vardy, allows for the space to transform into the small, multi-purpose, semi-private Annex where the characters each desperately try to find their own private space to exist.

This is a story that most audiences will be familiar with, yet I still found myself hoping that somehow, some way, the ending would be different and these people would have the opportunity to live on and enjoy the simple joys of life that we take for granted each day. Alas, this obviously cannot happen. What is beautiful is that these people do indeed live on, in the diary of a young girl...and we are lucky enough to witness it here in Stratford.

THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK continues in repertory until October 10th.

Photo Credit: David Hou

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