The Diary of Anne Frank at New London Theatre

Of course, we know how it ends. When you attend a play this is not always the case, but when you go to see the play “The Diary of Anne Frank,” you know before you take your seat how it is going to end, or at least, you think you do.

The play begins after World War II in 1945. Otto Frank, Anne’s father, is the only surviving member of the Frank family. He has returned to the attic where his family hid for two years during the Nazi occupation of Holland. In the attic, Otto Frank is there with friends and he is going through the remnants of the attic. He is given some papers that were collected after the Gestapo took his family and among the papers is Anne’s diary.

Otto Frank, played by Dave Martin, opens the diary and begins to read the first entry. Gradually Anne’s voice joins his and then Otto Frank’s voice fades. Reading from the diary, Anne’s voice brings to life the story of how the Franks, the Van Daans and Mr. Dussel came to live in this “Secret Annex.”  

The cast makes it easy to become invested. Kaitlin Moore, 16, is very strong in the role of Anne Frank. She manages to convey the youthful certainty of the 13-year-old voice and the awkwardness of the 13-year-old’s interactions with all the adults in the attic. Dave Martin is playing Otto Frank in his first acting role. He has exactly the right balance of strength and apprehension. Chris Brisendine is perhaps the scene-stealer, with her portrayal of the larger-than-life Mrs. Van Daan. Unable to shed her attachment to her possessions and her position in society, Brisendine gives Mrs. Van Daan the superciliousness needed. Lamar Hutchinson plays Peter Van Daan who is as introverted as his mother is extroverted. Hutchinson shows the timidity with which Peter deals with his parents, but he begins to grow into a man as his friendship with Anne continues.

is well suited to telling this well-known story. As time passes the intimacy of the theater allows the audience to feel the cramped conditions of the attic and the dominating personalities of some of the characters become overbearing. Through the narrative of Anne’s diary we see her grow from a difficult, frustrated 13-year-old into an optimistic 15-year-old, who is still excited about the future. She speaks of dreams and thoughts and hopes for achievements that are so normal. They echo the thoughts of everyone who has ever been 15.

New London Theatre has once again shown its resourcefulness. In a play where the ending is known in advance and you think you are prepared for what is to come, director Dawn Berlo has staged a unique curtain call. The ending is affecting and heartbreaking and well worth the trip to New London Theatre to see for yourself.

The show continues until April 23.

(There is a special performance April 17 at 5 p.m. A guest speaker from the Bremen Museum will speak about personal experiences in The Holocaust. After a question-and-answer session, there will be a showing of the play. All seats for this performance are $15.)