Patio Playhouse's production of The Diary of Anne Frank, under Jay Mower's direction, is given an appropriately stark design by Judy Conlon. The plainly painted four rooms and hall are on several levels, with suggestions of some walls, allowing for a variety of playing areas. This, along with Kat Perhach and George Daye's lighting design, provide for the many intimate scenes. This is the prison for two years of the Franks, Mr. Frank's business partner's family, the Van Daams, and Mr. Dussel, a dentist and friend of the family.
The night we attended, a group of students of one of the actors, Dirk Jasperse playing Mr. Dussel, witnessed living history. Anne Frank's diary, first published as "Het Achterhuis," in 1947, was translated into English and published in 1952. Several plays anteceded the Broadway production of 1955, one by Lillian Hellman. The Broadway production won, among other awards, a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for Best Drama. George Stevens directed the 1959 motion picture.
Director Mower accepted the challenge of this heritage and creates a quite dramatic, highly believable rendering. Allison Fin (Anne Frank) has a striking resemblance to Anne Frank, thanks to a styled hair and costume (kudos to hair designer Jessica Parcell and costumer Shari Lyon for this and for their work with the whole cast). Fin has a total grasp of the 14 year-old girl's demeanor -- an excellent performance.
Jim Clevenger and Shari Lyon play her parents, Otto and Edith, with Cassi Jerkins playing her sister Margo. Margo is the quiet, studious one nicely underplayed by Jerkins. Clevenger's Otto is a bit strident, quite in keeping with being the family patriarch. Lyon is the quiet subservient wife who holds her emotions at bay. When she breaks free of subservience, the air becomes electric.
The adult Van Daans are played by Deborah Zimmer and Jeff Laurence with the son, Peter, played by Tommy Blanton. Zimmer plays the dominant wife, with her prized material possessions, while Laurence is the somewhat toadied husband. Time and the close quarters test the Van Daans. Peter, long-time subject to his mother's control, is shy and withdrawn. He eventually sparkles with feelings for Anne. Blanton handles Peter's varied emotions quite well.
Mr. Dussel, Dirk Jasperse, appears to be the most exasperated character. He is Jewish and left his Christian wife behind. He is totally alone. Even when he expresses emotion, it seems that it is with humility. The eight's only light to the outside world is Otto's former secretary, Miep Gies, played by Erin Elizabeth Peck, and occasional BBC broadcasts.
The Diary of Anne Frank is Anne's story, as she witnesses the tribulations of the eight people confined in such a small space, an apartment above Otto's spice warehouse. The story is about fear and about hope. The production effectively uses Fin's recorded voice-over dialogue during salient stage action. David Farlow's sound effects and appropriate music add to the drama and terrifying tension.
Jay Mower's direction and his talented cast's character interpretation create a very good production of The Diary of Anne Frank. Even though we know the story, the dramatic ending is spine tingling.
