Inspired by a story from 2012, this play rings truer than ever in 2024
Opening on the second birthday of the Marylebone Theatre, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank boasts a star-studded cast and audience alike. Written by award-winning author Nathan Englander, this play is based on his Pulitzer-finalist short story of the same name.
Following the reunion of 2 polar-opposite Jewish couples, this play dissects the difference between Orthodox and secular Judaism and what is means to be a Jew in 2024. The content of the play is relevant and on the pulse, Englander explaining how he rewrote the original version to include the events after October 7. The conversations being had onstage reflect those we’re having in our own homes, allowing for the nuance so often forgotten by social media commentary.
Excellent direction by Patrick Marber keeps the energy flowing and the action dynamic. This partnered with Englanders short, punchy scenes keeps the work engaging and fresh. No topic is lingered on for too long, with each change of subject signposted by the fifth character in this play and son of the secular couple, Trevor.
Gabriel Howell plays this role as an angsty college student to perfection, effectively arguing that pretty soon there won’t be a planet to have these existential arguments on, so we may as well all just worship The Flying Spaghetti Monster. Similarly, Dorothea Myer – Bennett is a standout in her portrayal of an ultra-orthodox woman who can’t bring herself to obey every rule of her religion, especially when it comes to the wellbeing of her 8 daughters.
The action takes place in a fully functioning kitchen designed by Anna Fleischle. Wanting to explain how these people can have such charged arguments and yet continue to stay in the same room, Fleischle has created a set which traps the couples inside, forcing them to reconcile their differences rather than storming out.
Ultimately, the plays biggest strength is generating conversation amongst the audience. Finishing by playing the ‘Anne Frank game’, the characters ask each other, if it was 1942, would they hide their companion from the Nazis? This forces the same question onto each audience member, who would you hide? And who would you leave behind rather than risk your life to save? A riveting exploration of what is means to be Jewish in the modern day, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank is a must-watch, regardless of your faith or background.