THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, Hale Centre Theatre, through May 8 (984-9000 or www.halecentretheatre.org.
Rachel Woodward and Klaus Rathke actually resemble Anne Frank and her father, Otto. This may be one reason they were cast in the roles for the Hale Centre Theatre production of "The Diary of Anne Frank." Moreover, the fact that these two alone play their roles, at a theater where double-cast characters are more common, means director John Adams has faith in them.
They don't let him down.
Of course, we know what happens to the Franks — how, after hiding for two years in the father's office building, the family is discovered. They're sent to concentration camps just before World War II ends.
Yet, early in the play, in the scene where irrepressible Anne dances with her father, we know that Woodward and Rathke will make us feel the tragedy of it all over again. And sure enough, we walk away numbed by the Holocaust.
The set, designed by Andrew Barrus, is beguiling. Bedrooms stick out from the center round. Anne climbs to a crow's nest for her soliloquies, a visual reminder of the intimate nature of her diary.
At Saturday's early matinee, Peter was played by Matt Marshall, who was suitably awkward as an adolescent. Nichole Marie Omana was a demure Margot. Bradley Moss was a nicely annoying Mr. Dussel, the dentist who had always thought of himself as Dutch, not Jewish.
Clara Susan Morey II did a lovely job with the role of Anne's meddlesome mother. You could see why she drove Anne crazy, and you could also see how much Anne hurt her. JaNae Gibbs Cottam was amusing as the shallow Mrs. Van Daan. L.D. Weller was Mr. Van Daan, never more dramatic than when he started sobbing after he stole food.
There were a few awkward moments in the performance Saturday. At the end, the lights didn't follow the people as Mr. Frank named each person who had been in hiding and told how he or she died.
The other awkward moments came whenever the script mentioned how much weight everyone had lost. Most of the adult actors were not skinny to begin with and didn't seem skinnier after years of half-rations. Somehow, Peter and Anne did seem to change, however. He managed to seem skinnier, and they both managed to seem older, although still heartbreakingly young, by the end of the play, and the end of their lives.
Sensitivity rating: Nothing too sexual or violent onstage. But the tragedy makes this play inappropriate for young children.
E-MAIL: susan@desnews.com