Satire and Drama Converge in Provocative Exam of Identity Politics and History

Strategic Insights -

The Mint Theater Company's production of Sally Carson's 1935 play "Crooked Cross" and the Off-Broadway hit "Slam Frank" by Andrew Fox and Joel Sinensky owe a debt to the intersecting stories of Anne Frank and her family's quest for safety in Nazi Germany. The play's central conflict - a young woman's struggle to maintain her relationships as her loved ones become embroiled in Nazi politics - serves as a timely commentary on the dangers of tribalism and the dehumanizing effects of prioritizing differences over similarities. As the real Anne Frank's story has come to represent the ultimate human cost of the Holocaust, these two works converge in a provocative examination of identity politics and history.

Key Takeaways:

  • "Crooked Cross" is a quiet domestic drama set in Bavaria in 1933, exploring the complexities of family dynamics and the allure of Nazi ideology.
  • The play's central conflict revolves around a young woman's relationships with her family members, including her fiancé, who becomes a Nazi Storm Trooper, and her mother, who pressures her father to join the party.
  • The play's themes of identity, community, and violence resound loudly in our present, making it a timely and relevant work in 2025.
  • "Slam Frank" is a satirical musical that uses the story of Anne Frank and her family to explore identity politics, empty progressivism, and the dangers of tribalism.
  • The show's creators use the story of Anne Frank to make pointed commentary on the sanctification of identity politics, victimhood as a permanent stance, and the failure to learn from history.
  • "Slam Frank" is a sendup of theater, with nods to "Hamilton," "Indecent," and other works, and is a timely critique of the ways in which identity politics can be used to silence and divide communities.

Statistics:

  • Anne Frank was just 4 years old when her family fled Nazi Germany in 1933.
  • The real Anne Frank died in a concentration camp in 1945 at the age of 15.
  • Sally Carson's play "Crooked Cross" was first published in 1935.
  • "Crooked Cross" has recently received an Off-Broadway production from the Mint Theater Company.
  • "Slam Frank" is the result of a collaboration between Andrew Fox, the writer of the music and lyrics, and Joel Sinensky, the writer of the book.
  • The show has received positive reviews for its clever satire and timely commentary.

Sources:

  • "The New York Times," Theater Review Section, Nov. 2025.
  • Mint Theater Company, production of "Crooked Cross" at Theater Row, Manhattan.
  • Asylum NYC, production of "Slam Frank" at Asylum NYC, Manhattan.
  • The Real Anne Frank's Diary, published in 1947.