There are so many standout moments in this extraordinary tapestry of a play. Shosh’s account of embracing observance is transfixing: she recounts how she revelled in the joy of Purim with the Rebezzin (rabbi’s wife) – who had dressed up for the festival as the colourful Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. And Trevor’s unceremonious pronouncing of a shift in faith to “a new church, Pasta-farianism”, explores the absurdity of organised religion. He declares that his goal is to live in a sustainable world with equal rights, opportunities and freedoms for all, and that the dogma of one religion trumping another is nonsensical. Plus the performances are uniformly excellent and entirely convincing on Anna Fleischle’s equally authentic set.
The unique, fly-on-the-wall perspective provided by What We Talk About… draws you into the complex, passionate and intimate relationship that contemporary Jews have with their faith and culture, and centres that relationship bang in the middle of the current Middle East crisis – with explosive results. This is provocatively thought-provoking drama from one of America’s most exciting writers.
By Judi Herman
Photos by Mark Senior
What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank runs until Saturday 23 November. 7.30pm (Mon-Sat), 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only). From £22.25. Marylebone Theatre, NW1 6XT. marylebonetheatre.com
Don’t miss our trip to see What We Talk About… followed by the stars of the show in conversation on Tuesday 29 October. Click here for more info and to book.
