Earlier this year, with thanks to Theater Amsterdam and Bettine van der Heijen: Expat and Repat Services, I had the privilege of attending the ANNE Theater Production in Amsterdam.
Based on the life of Anne Frank, more than 100,000 tickets have been sold since it started in May, and the season has recently been extended through until January 2015.
Held the beautiful Theater Amsterdam, which was specially built for this production, it’s a moving experience and one which regularly receives a standing ovation. A superb cast of actors, along with a visually stunning set, great use of multimedia and lighting and a unique twist make for a very special telling of this well-known story.
If you don’t speak/understand Dutch, a unique multilingual translation system gives theatregoers the chance to better experience and understand the show in their own language. The system uses an iPad Mini mounted near your seat and it’s similar to having subtitles or dubbing on your tv – but for a live theatre production! . There is a limited number of these available when purchasing your theatre ticket, at no extra charge.
You can choose to have the dubbing in English (which you listen to with headphones and which was spoken by the original actors), or just English subtitles – or both.
Other languages available for either dubbing/subtitles are: German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Portugese and Dutch. There are plans to add Japanese and Chinese.
I was fortunate to be able to test the system along with a group of American school students and media in June and has been in use since. Feedback has been positive.
An initative of the Anne Frank Fonds in Basel, Switzerland (founded by Anne’s father, Otto Frank), writers Jessica Durlacher and Leon de Winter, directors of the media company Imagine Nation, Kees Abrahams and Robin de Levita and many other contributors have created a very unique theater experience. Theu Boermans, creative director of the National Theatre in The Netherlands has the artistic leadership.
More information and tickets:
Dutch Australian 