Oct 155 min read

Review: What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank (Marylebone Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

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As the still relatively new Marylebone Theatre celebrates its second birthday, it continues to impress with exciting and diverse programming – the latest of which is the European premiere of the snappily titled What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank. A serious comedy featuring an award-wining creative team and stars you may recognise from TV, would this be one show I’d continue to talk about long after leaving the theatre?

Based on Nathan Englander’s short story collection of the same name from 2012 – a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank sees two Jewish couples get together for a seemingly innocent gathering. As their differences (one couple is secular, the other ultra Orthodox) leads to tensions being raised, the evening turns into an opportunity for debate, with many a topic being covered… until they play the much discussed Anne Frank game.

There is plenty to unpack in What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank. As well as the classic odd couple approach (or odd couples in this case) giving plenty of conflict, of course there are current events which make the topics of conversation on offer here all the more timely and thought-provoking. Updated from when it was originally written, couple Phil and Debbie spar with Shoshana and Yerucham, sometimes light-heartedly and others all the more serious in conversations and situations many of us will have experienced in recent months and years. It is this real-world and authentic approach that adds to the charm and impact of the play and a testament to Nathan Englander’s fantastic writing.

Split into six scenes, each introduced by Phil and Debbie’s son Trevor (Gabriel Howell), it breaks the fourth wall, even going as far as to tell you we’re heading into intermission and when we’re nearing the end of the play. Billed as a serious comedy, the humorous moments all land, resulting in some real laugh out loud moments, especially in a memorable sequence where both couples get high. Providing the catalyst for situations getting more serious as their words become more unfiltered and their opinions more dominant, the slow-burn in What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank allows for the serious nuggets to lie dormant, hidden away, ready to come to the forefront at any given moment. The mix of comedic moments and relatable characters and conversations make this an interesting watch at all times.

One thing What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank does extremely well is inspire conversations and debate among the audience. This was evident both in the interval and after the show where conversation stretched beyond the usual “what do you think?” discussing the merits of the topics and the different ways we may all look at this show, based on our own lived experiences. As someone who was raised by Jewish parents but didn’t follow that religious path, there were moments I related to (and one or two I was in the minority at laughing at), particularly in the character of Trevor, who now worships a flying spaghetti monster (I wouldn’t go that far, though I am quite partial to a Bolognese). Themes of religion, identity, politics and parenthood make this a play full of riches, never running out of things to say.

As for the Anne Frank game mentioned before which forms the inspiration for the show’s title, the basic premise is asking if somebody would risk their life to hide you and save you. While the game is teased throughout the play, it builds up to an intense version of the game near the show’s climax where everything that has been brought to the surface until that point comes to a head in a captivating scene. Patrick Marber’s direction centres the action at Phil and Debbie’s house, with intimate and intricate choices exploring each character and their crucial reactions to the conversations transpiring.

I’m not sure how much I was won over by Trevor’s introducing each scene – while it was firmly tongue in cheek, it did feel slightly at odds with the rest of the story and risked taking you out of it unnecessarily. I would have also liked to have seen more of Trevor in the story himself as he added a fresh and very different dynamic which provided some of the more interesting moments of the play, though sadly these were few and far between. A slightly ill-advised final scene resulting in a dance sequence felt reminiscent of movies that end with a dance routine for no apparent reason and lessened the impact and emotional gravitas of all we had just witnessed. That may well have been the intent in a play that aims to make you laugh, but as events got more serious, I personally felt like I would have liked to have sat with those feelings for a while longer rather than watch the cast dance (and this is coming from someone who usually likes any excuse to watch people dance).

Joshua Malina and Caroline Catz have a wonderful dynamic as couple Phil and Debbie, with Malina veering from understated to seemingly being in his own world, particularly in the hilarious sequence seeing him getting high, while Catz is immensely watchable in her mesmerising portrayal – perhaps going through the most conflicted journey of all of the characters. Dorothea Myer-Bennett and Simon Yadoo play the opposing couple Shoshana and Yerucham, displaying a stunning chemistry that purposely differs from the other couple. Yadoo is particularly fantastic in the play in a performance that balances comedic and commanding with ease. The cast are completed by our unexpected narrator Gabriel Howell as Trevor. Though underutilised throughout, his different views and being from a different generation provide some of the more exciting moments of the play – topics I wish had been explored in a bit more depth to add another layer of riches to this already intriguing story.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank asks the questions and encourages debate of issues that have been discussed for the last 100 years, bringing us right up to events happening today. With issues including wars, the Holocaust and Anne Frank herself, this may not seem the lightest watch in the world, and in many ways it isn’t, but its ability to fill these subjects with comedy while never making light of their severity is all part of what makes this such a success. Not perfect by a long shot, but its powerful and thought-provoking nature will stay with you long after you leave the theatre, ensuring this is one show you will continue to talk about.