CULTURAL ELTHAM Anne Frank Drama
A warm, light hearted drama of family life which is also one of the 20th century’s most tragic stories, The Diary of Anne Frank is brought to the stage in New Eltham this month. SEnine reporter Kirsty Starling spoke to teenager Pamela
Tickell, who takes the lead part.
A student at Townley Grammar in Bexleyheath and in training at Bexley’s Stage Coach theatre arts school, Pamela is a natural in rehearsals. This is sure to be an excellent portrayal of the role.
We talk about the history of the young Jewess Anne Frank and how the play portrays it. “I spent a whole term at school studying the Holocaust and in particular Anne’s story. I’m very aware of the seriousness behind the play but hope it comes across as light-hearted, as the script dictates it to be.”
Pamela came late to the production after a previous candidate stood down.
Flicking through her heavily highlighted script she tells me that she is most nervous about learning lines, and although she has a few scenes down to a T.
Anne Frank
“It is a scary role to take on, and I just want to do it justice”, 14 year old Pamela told me, in a break between rehearsals.
Pamela is no stranger to the spotlight, with a six month stint as ‘Young Nala’ behind her in London’s West End blockbuster musical The Lion King.
“My brother and sister helping with line reciting at home. They’ve started just throwing lines at me around the house to test me”. As well as learning lines Pamela has been recording voice-overs which will relate entries from the diary.
It’s the third time that the New Eltham group has performed the play, which portrays a Jewish family hiding in an Amsterdam attic for two years from the occupying Nazis, only to be betrayed. Anne and her mother died in Belsen concentration camp only months before liberation by Allied forces in 1945.
SEnine
Kirsty Starling
During their tea break Pamela is discussing with the other cast the challenge of fi nding period clothing including period iron and furniture, staying as true to the fashion of the time as they can.
They have pictures of fashions of the time and are brainstorming ways to get hold of period costumes in modern retailers. It seems the whole cast and crew are dedicated to not only doing the play justice but also the period itself.
From what I’ve seen of the rehearsals the play, by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, it deals sensitively with the topic of the persecution of the Jews in World War Two but it is light-hearted, with well formed characters, a dash of comedy and the humorous clashing of personalities in the confi ned attic room. The production promises to be a hit.
Come & meet our friendly team in our 95th Anniversary year OAP spec al off e s - Tue o AP special offi ers -r
Thu special Perms and Highlights from £34.00 Open Tue to Sat
16 ue orr Wed Trims £9.00 - Perms from £34.00
rims £9.00 - Perms from £34.00 all inclusiveall inclusiv 020 8850 2772
140 Well Hall Road SE9 6SN
Near Eltham Station Take a walk in the Tarn
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40