Pupils’ tribute to Anne Frank
11:47am Friday 13th June 2008 in News
By Saiqa Chaudhari, Education reporter
THE inspirational story of teenage Holocaust victim Anne Frank was staged by high school students.
GCSE drama pupils at George Tomlinson performed the play to mark National Anne Frank Day.
The young actors researched the story of Anne Frank by visiting Manchester's Jewish Museum in preparation for the performance, entitled The Attic.
Mel Hughes, head of drama, said: "We have been exploring how a young girl, who had a fairly normal and happy existence, had her world changed.
"Pupils have explored how brave she was and how she expressed her feelings through her famous diary."
Actors said it was important that the memory of Anne Frank lived on.
Fay Disley, aged 15, who played a Nazi, said: "Staging the play was an emotional experience. The audience were shocked and upset. It is the hardest role I have had to play because it was really difficult to understand why this happened."
Jordan Smith, aged 15, played Anne Frank's father, Otto. He said: "It is so important to remember what happened. We often forget how lucky we actually are.
"Using drama to educate young people does work. It is visual and prompts discussion."
Anne Frank fled the Nazis with her family, but eventually ended up in a concentration camp. She died in March, 1945, at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
Her diary which documented her experiences, has inspired millions since it was first published in 1947.
