Of Mice and Men, Derby Theatre Review
Of Mice and Men production image. Photo by Pamela Raith
Written by Sam for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck in 1937 is about two friends, George Milton and Lennie Small who come together by wanting the same dreams, to be a homeowner with their own ranch. Following an unfortunate event and being on the run, George and Lennie secure a job on a Californian ranch during the Great Depression. Landing this job elevates their hopes of earning enough money to eventually buy their own ranch. Unfortunately, events turn, and we’re left with a catastrophic ending.
Directed by Sarah Brigham and designed by Jess Curtis, the pairing is genius. Brigham’s expertise and Curtis’ key eye for design has made them a powerful pair to transform the stage at Derby Theatre. Due to the themes within the show, Brigham chose actors who have lived experience of the barriers the characters face – this makes the show more authentic in my opinion. For example, Benjamin Wilson, who plays Candy, is a blind actor and uses a cane throughout the show. After reading up on the cast, I’m absolutely delighted to see how inclusive this show really is! It’s great to see disability, race and LGBTQ+ represented on stage despite there being such a small cast. I think the team has really excelled here and made the theatre and this production, an extremely welcoming and safe environment for those who may identify with one of the above groups.
I think all the cast are extremely talented. None of them lost their southern American accents and it all felt very real. Their body language, their eye contact, staging, everything was smooth, and they work well together even if some of their characters despise one another.
Of Mice and Men is considered to have a slow pace, especially within the first half of the production because Steinbeck has purposely ensured the audience gain an understanding of the characters and watch them develop as the story unfolds. I did struggle to remain engaged at times due to the pace and that the first act was around 75 minutes.
This production is incredibly moving with poignant themes throughout. Such themes include abuse, misogyny, racism, prejudice, loneliness, companionship and dreams. Although most of these are linked to George and Lennie, at times, all the characters fall into the above themes, and each have their own story to tell whilst interlinking with the main plot.
At times, it was uncomfortable to watch because I wanted to run on stage and give Lennie a hug for the situations, he would get himself into. I think I connected with Lennie the most because he acknowledged his behaviour but resented himself for what had happened, and I grew more empathetic as time went on. Despite the end, I do think we could all do with a friend like George Milton (Liam King) because it was clear, his friendship with Lennie bought the best out in him and he honoured their relationship until the very end.
There were two moments that made my eyes well up during the performance. Of course, the ending is one of them – it was incredibly moving. As George distracts Lennie with an imaginary story, it feels like the room is shrinking and the focus is completely on Williams and King. This is due to the simplicity of the set and the warm lighting. The end is a powerful scene and even though I knew what was coming, it didn’t make it any easier to watch and I had to stop myself from crying.
If you have never read the book, seen the film or if you’ve not read the book since GCSE English, it doesn’t matter. Although this adaptation is based on the book, previous knowledge of the story is not required as the storytelling within this show is perfect. This is definitely one to go and see. Please show your support for an incredible cast who are putting their heart and soul into it.
Tickets are still available for Of Mice and Men until 1 March 2025 and can be purchased directly from here.
★ ★ ★ ★
