The Diary of Anne Frank (1986)

Poster by Poster Designer

by Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett

Directed by Tina Massey

Performances: Sun 2nd – Sat 8th February 1986, Bell Theatre

Introduction

Text about the play

Cast

• Mr Frank - Terry Neale
• Mrs Frank - Delia Taitt
• Anne Frank - Sian Richardson
• Margot Frank - Gillian Holmes
• Mr Van Daan - Brian Scoltock
• Mrs Van Daan - Carol Murrell
• Peter Van Daan - Geoff Munday
• Miep - Josephine Hussey
• Mr Kraler - Ken Lucas
• Mr Dussel - Bernard Witt

Crew

• Stage Manager - Paul Hutchinson
• Lighting Design - Peter Boon
• Sound - Alf Vaal
• Production Assistant - Jean Warboyes
• Set Designer - Jonathan Silver
• Set Construction - Paul Hutchinson, Keefe Browning, David Lamkin & Peter Boon
• Scaffolding Builder - Dennis O'Flynn
• Scaffolding Adviser - Bernie Bullbrook
• Wardrobe - Frances Walker

Reviews

Keeping Faith With Thea Past

"The Daiary of Anne Frank" .....TIna Massey's production has great detail going for it. Most of today's audiences are too young to have experienced the war, and even the rest have had no actula experience of living in occupied territory, let alone belonging to the hunted Jewish minority.

Let us, then, salute Tina Massey and the cast for conveying with such fidelity to detail what it must have been like for those eight fugitives holed up above a warehouse in Amsterdam, living each day for two years in constant fear of exposure and arrest.

But for the diary of the remarkable teenager Anne Frank we would never have known the truth. The point is, will we remember the lesson?

Sian Richardson gives a performance of poise and great sensitivity as Anne. And in the drama being played around her young life, Terry Neale ia a pillar of strength as her father, the natural leader of the group.

The production is strongest at moments of tension and crisis. Quarrels flare up, and the mintue details of everyday existsnce become absurdly exaggerated.

Brian Scoltock and Carol Muday play the edgy and selfish Van Daans, and Geoff Menday is their son Peter, whose affection for Anne at laast breaks through the shell of his shyness.

Delia Taitt plays Mrs Frank with instinctive sympathy and understanding, and Gillian Holmes impresses in the rather thabkless role of her elder sister Margot, so much less interesting than Anne hersel but a personality in her own right nevertheless.

Bernard Witt, too, earns an accolade for his portrayal of the unpleasant Mr Dussel, completing the band of reluctant residents. From the world outside, Ken Lucas nad Joeshine Hussey exemplify the spirit of sacrifice.

Donald Madgwick, from The Croydon Advertiser, reprinted in SCENE with permission of the editor.

Also, from the Streatham Guardian Series, Thurs Jan 20th, listing

"The Diary of Anne Frank, Courageous and poignant tale of a Jewish girl living under Nazi rule at South London Theatre Centre...."

Reprinted in SCENE with the comment "Courtesy of the Kultural Kommittee, presumably. SLTCieg Heil!

Reminiscences and Anecdotes

Members are encouraged to write about their experiences of working on or seeing this production. Please leave your name. Anonymous entries may be deleted.

See Also

Have there been other SLTC/SLT productions of this play? Link to them here.

Or add anything that is related within this site. The author's page for instance or other plays with a similar theme.

References

<references/>

External Links

• This play on the web