Of Mice and Men - A gripping tale of hope and friendship AT THE OCTAGON

Review by Hilary Dawes

Directed by Sarah Brigham and based on John Steinbeck’s classic novella, set during the Great Depression of the 1930’s, this is the story of Lennie and George,   two drifters on their way to find work on a Californian ranch, hoping to make enough money to live the great American dream.   George feels bound to look after and protect Lennie, a gentle giant with the mind of a young child.   Throughout the play, Lennie clings to the vision of tending rabbits on their own farm, fearing his dreams will be dashed if he does anything bad.  Whilst repeatedly warning Lennie to keep quiet and stay out of trouble, George doubts whether the childlike Lennie has retained his instructions.  Lennie drives him mad, yet he cannot abandon him.  

They are offered work, but their hopes are doomed as Lennie, struggling against extreme cruelty and misunderstanding, becomes a victim of his own strength when tragedy strikes.   This malice and prejudice is also apparent in the treatment of Crooks, the “stable buck”, excluded from the bunkhouse because he is black, and the treatment of the old blind man Candy, coerced to allow his dog to be shot, because it is old and useless. 

With pitch perfect accents, a superbly talented cast brilliantly represented Steinbeck’s characters, including actors with lived experience of the barriers faced, giving us an insight into the attitudes and prejudices of the time. 

Liam King was excellent as George, Lennie’s exasperated, yet caring, unofficial parent figure and our hearts went out to the innocent, childlike Lennie, beautifully played by William Young.  Benjamin Wilson gave a superlative performance as the blind labourer Candy.  His anguish as his beloved dog is killed was palpable, whilst Jeff Alexander’s compelling portrayal of Crooks highlighted his loneliness and bitterness, reduced to living alone with only books for company. 

There were remarkable performances too from the other cast members, with Laurence Pears’ calm and sympathetic portrayal of senior ranch hand Slim, in sharp contrast to the aggressive and petulant Curley, convincingly played by Stefan Race, whilst Emma Charlton gave a spirited performance as his unhappy wife.  The amiable and voluble labourer Carlson was played with great energy by Tom Fletcher.

Although called upon at short notice, John Elkington as the Boss, is to be commended for his first rate performance covering the character of Whit.

The creative team excelled once again, evoking the atmosphere of the 1930’s ranch through ingenious minimal sets, sound effects and music of the era.

Don’t miss this new production of Steinbeck’s compelling and thought provoking story, which is sure to move and resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Running at the Octagon Bolton until 12 April 2025

Visit https://octagonbolton.co.uk/events/of-mice-and-men#dates-and-times

The Octagon is in the heart of Bolton town centre, a five minute walk from the bus interchange and train station. The nearest car park is the NCP Octagon Car Park situated on Great Moor Street (BL1 1SN).

Octagon Theatre, Howell Croft South, Bolton, BL1 1SB