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THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK
Purbeck Players
Mowlem Theatre
Swanage
May 2003

THERE can be few people who are unfamiliar with the story of the young Jewish girl who spent two years hiding in an Amsterdam attic during the war, only to be captured by the Nazis at the eleventh hour.
The play’s story is told in flashback when Mr Frank, the only surviving member of his family, returns after the war, and in this production Gina Lewis’ superb direction brings the period poignantly to life.
The split-level set is a masterpiece of design, fully conveying the claustrophobic atmosphere in which eight people were forced to exist, yet never making the stage appear crowded, and detailed costumes and props set the period realistically.
17 year-old Victoria Willshire is totally convincing as Anne, beautifully conveying both the joie-de-vivre and gawkiness of a 13 year old and the incipient maturity of her older self. And thanks also to a fine performance from Stewart Jones, the growing friendship between Anne and Peter Van Daan is movingly portrayed.
There are strong characterisations too from the rest of the cast, in particular Simon Wells (Mr Frank), Tony Hessey (Mr Dussel) and especially Louise Gough, acting on stage, I understand, for the first time but giving an excellent performance as Mrs Van Daan,

Linda Kirkman
Courtesy of the Bournemouth Daily Echo.

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