Written by American author John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men was originally published in 1937, yet the themes throughout this tale – of injustice, exclusion, racism, loneliness and the power of friendship still resonate today.
The programme for last night’s performance notes that Steinback’s writing is influenced by his journalistic style and unwavering empathy and that certainly comes through in the acting on stage.
Of Mice and Men follows the experiences of George Milton, played by Liam King, and Lennie Small, played by William Young. They are ranch workers, never staying in one place for too long and moving from job to job during the time of the Great Depression.
George and Lennie both have a dream of settling on their own land. Lennie wants to care for rabbits because he likes the soft touch of them but he accidentally kills them as he doesn’t realise his own strength.
It’s clear that Lennie relies on George in order to function. He will often ask George to recount their dream of owning their own land and what they will do with it. This is comforting for Lennie, similar, I would imagine, to echolalia – the repetition of familiar phrases.
They get hired at a ranch and soon the lives of the other characters begin to unravel – Curley, the boss’s son – who is aggressive towards Lennie despite his small stature – played by Stefan Race, Candy, played by blind actor Benjamin Wilson, Curleys wife – who enjoys flirting with the ranch workers – played by Emma Charlton, Crooks, played by Jeff Alexander, Carlson played by Tom Fletcher, Skim payed by Laurence Pears, Whit played by Afton Moran with John Ellington playing the Boss.
The story ultimately ends in tragedy, ending the long-held dream for the friends.
What strikes me the most about this performance is the inclusive cast who bring real life experience to the characters. Young attends a professional performance academy for learning disabled and autistic actors. He demonstrates a real empathy towards Lennie and how frightened and anxious the character would feel in this situation.
Candy is played by blind actor Benjamin Wilson who really brings this character to life especially when his old dog is put down by fellow ranch hand Carlson. He begins to feel more vulnerable as he’s not getting any younger and this fear is palpable during his performance.
Hard of hearing actor Tom Fletcher also plays a standout performance as Carlson. Liam King plays a excellent role as George, demonstrating a strong bond of friendship with Lennie despite their differences.
The intentionally sparse yet intriguing set with the farm buildings contrasted against the skyline is beautifully designed by Jess Curtis. The lighting by Simeon Miller really sets the scene with gorgeous orange and yellow hues cast across the landscape.
This show is perfectly cast. The lived experiences of the actors really brought this show to life and drove the messages home. Don’t miss it.
★★★★
Of Mice and Men is at Derby Theatre until Saturday, March 1. Tickets £25-£34
Posted on the Derby Theatre website: “All performances from Thursday, February 13 will feature Creative Audio Description, performed in character by the cast of the show.
What is a Creative Audio Described performance?
The Creative Audio Description for Of Mice and Men will be seamlessly woven into the production, enhancing the performance rather than serving as an add-on. The creative audio will provide descriptions of the set, characters, key visuals and onstage action, plus commentary of some of the activity on stage, performed in character by some of the cast members – all integrated naturally within the dialogue. Creative Audio Described performances enrich the experience for all audience members, including those who are blind or visually impaired. The creative audio description has been created with Hear the Picture and Jo Mousley in collaboration with the company.
