What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank – Review
7 February 2025, 07:01
A comedy with "Anne Frank" in the title might not seem like the most natural fit, but this play makes it work brilliantly.
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We all had a best friend at primary school, and for most of us, those friendships faded over time. We talk about reunions but rarely follow through.
That’s the premise of What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank - two old friends who have drifted apart finally meet again.
Both women bring their husbands. Phil and Debbie are modern, liberal Jews living in Florida, while Shoshana and Yerucham are Orthodox Jews visiting from Israel.
The two couples lead very different lives and hold starkly opposing views.
Phil, played by Big Bang Theory star Joshua Malina, wastes no time confronting Yerucham about his support for Israel’s right-wing government.
Their conversation moves fluidly from childhood memories to heated discussions about Hamas and the war in Gaza.
In the course of one evening, we witness every emotion - sadness, joy, anger. At one point, the four even get high on their son’s secret stash of drugs.
That scene was a standout for me - genuinely hilarious.
The play feels strikingly relevant, with references to October 7 and the recent Los Angeles wildfires. Originally written in 2011, it’s been updated for this latest run, and I got the sense that the script is constantly evolving.
The cast were all strong individually, though their chemistry could have been tighter. The second half of the play was far more compelling than the first.
The concept is simple yet highly effective, and the ending lands perfectly.
What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank runs at the Marylebone Theatre in London until February 15.