Anne Being Frank: Award-Winning Production Reimagines Frank’s Story For The Stage

Internationally acclaimed performing artist Alexis Fishman who is based between Sydney and New York, will be performing in the Australian premiere of solo work Anne Being Frank at the Sydney Opera House.

This award-winning production written by Ron Elisha and directed by Amanda Brooke Lerner is a reimagining of the Anne Frank story, after she stopped writing her journal and was discovered by the Nazis in hiding with her family.

Audiences will be transported between the secret annex in Amsterdam, the horrors of Bergen Belson and an imagined future in a high-rise New York publishing house.

Fishman explained that when she read this play it took her breath away as it was a most beautiful piece of theatre and decided to bring it to the stage. She plays five different characters with four different accents and explained that the learning process during rehearsals was gruelling.

“There was a lot of preparation on the accents and the physicality of the characters as two were men. It was a tough process, and I worked very hard as it was a 40-page monologue. It was a big challenge but an everest role for an actress.”

She continued saying that this is not a light night at the theatre, “It’s heavy and dark but you see everything through the eyes of a young adolescent. There’s a lot of joy, hope and youth that’s brought to the performance.”

Fishman who is also a Holocaust educator and the grandchild of four Holocaust survivors has a very deep and personal connection to this history, so she came to the play with a background and knowledge. But has this emotional connection complemented her performance?

“Perhaps, but like anything an actor is an actor, and they do what’s on the page and the job is to convey the story. I’m not a method actor, I’m not interested in what an actor is going through internally, I just want to hear the story so I hope my performance does the same thing.”

Anne Being Frank has received much accolade amongst critics and audiences alike and when asked why the play has been so successful Fishman was quick to respond.

“There’s been so much Holocaust art over the years. We’ve examined this story creatively, artistically and culturally but this is a brand-new take. Because it’s Anne Frank, the world knows this girl, but we’ve been confronted with a shocking new idea about her. It’s also a brilliantly written play.”

Fishman has performed extensively in one woman shows and said that working with an ensemble cast on stage is easier, especially if a line is forgotten as there’s someone on stage who will get the actor back on track.

“Performing solo is more difficult. When I’m about to go on stage, I tell myself, ‘Don’t think what you’re about to do’ because if I do, it’s quite terrifying. It’s daunting in that way, but I’ve had a lot of experience.”

She went on to explain that this is not educational theatre. They’ve been careful to ensure there’s an age restriction because it’s not pitched to the same audience that Anne’s journal was.

“It’s a darker more truthful representation or reimaging of what may have happened to Anne. It’s interesting and thought-provoking theatre.”

Anne Being Frank is suitable viewing for mature audiences who know Anne Frank’s story, have a connection to this history or want to be challenged and explore more about her and those dark times.

“It’s especially for people who are interested in unpacking the hopes for humanity and the future – how we can live in a world that is more honest and tolerant,” concluded Fishman.

Anne Being Frank

September 13 – 21 at the Sydney Opera House