Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (reviewed Thursday 26 March 2026).
In a world dominated by violence and fear, The Diary of Anne Frank serves as a harrowing reminder about our humanity in all its fragility and ugliness. Anne never set out to be a poster child for the Holocaust, yet her diary, written over two years while confined in a tiny secret dwelling with several other Jewish occupants, has become an iconic piece of literature. Anne certainly lived up to her family name, giving a frank account of what it’s like to be on the cusp of womanhood, navigating through complex emotions while suppressing all natural instincts and desires under a terrifying Nazi regime.
Belying her demure and smiling portrait, parts of the diary containing highly sensitive passages were omitted or edited by her father, Otto Frank, who discovered the diary after surviving the concentration camps. In recent years, some American schools sought to ban the book for being ‘indecent’ for exposing ‘impure thoughts’ of a normal teenage girl.
This version adapted for theatre by Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett is PG-friendly; Anne has a heart for romance, big dreams and enough compassion to see the goodness in others. But she also despises her mother, or any woman, for that matter, that tries to get close to her father.
This celebrated production by Drew Anthony Creative has made its way to the prestigious State Theatre in Sydney, after a wave of standing ovations in Melbourne. It certainly has all the polish and PR that a production of this scale demands, replete with a media wall for the social media glams. There’s even a merch stand. Maybe it’s a little jarring and incongruous for a story about survival and frugality, and audiences hoping for a deep emotional connection may find that the quest for perfection ironically comes off as too resolved, leaving the threat of discovery not as excruciating as it could be.
The same adaptation has played to smaller theatre houses with greater intimacy, so perhaps that is something to consider: balancing the objective of authentic storytelling with the need to fill an appetite for something that is big, glossy and commercially viable.
That said, I think Anne herself wouldn’t give a damn about the critics’ stuffy opinion on the play; HERstory after all is a powerful one about hope and resilience and I think she would be thrilled to see her legacy honoured in this way. The actress in the lead role (Chloe-Jean Vincent), in a publicity interview passionately described her identification with Anne’s ability to self-protect. She channels the spirit of Anne as portrayed in her diary; defiant, curious and resourceful right up until the very end.
The Diary of Anne Frank is performing at State Theatre until 2 April 2026. For tickets and showtimes go to https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/the-diary-of-anne-frank-tickets/artist/804407
CREDIT
Images: Amanda Humphreys
PRODUCTION TEAM
Producer Drew Anthony Creative
Associate Producer Rachel Burgess
Director Drew Anthony
Production Design Drew Anthony
Costume Design Annette Stivaletta
Lighting Design Drew Anthony & Jason Bovaird
DAC Social Media Videography Abbey Burton