Review: Of Mice And Men (Octagon Theatre, Bolton)

Review by Jack McCabe

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It was a pleasure to return to the Octagon Theatre in Bolton to see this new adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic, Of Mice and Men, co-produced by Hull Truck, Derby Theatre and the Bolton Octagon. The 1937 novel tells the story of George and Lennie, two migrant workers who travel together in search of work during the Great Depression. They find a job on a ranch but struggle to fit in due to Lennie’s idiosyncrasies. It explores friendship, isolation and aspiration. It is a story known to so many who studied it in school, but I was not one of those people and so came into this play blind. 

In many ways, this play tackles whether it is possible to overcome challenges, many of which you have no control over. That was mirrored in the performance. Cast illness meant that the company was one actor short, and John Elkington stepped in to play Whit, as well as his normal character, The Boss. If it wasn’t for the announcement at the start of the performance, you would have been forgiven for not noticing. I struggle to imagine the difficulty in performing two roles in the same production, and full credit has to go to John Elkington for stepping into the breach.

Lennie is a large figure, living with disabilities that cause him memory issues and difficulty controlling his actions. William Young portrays him brilliantly; he has a touching innocence to him and relies on his travel companion, George. It takes skill to evoke sympathy for Lennie, given where this story takes the audience, but William Young stood up to the task.

George is smaller than Lennie, but sharper; he is practical and protective. Liam King portrays the complex relationship with care. He is loyal but frustrated, committed to his aspiration of a better life, which he has to balance against his need to protect his friend.  Each character represents a prejudice timestamped in the 1930s and the casting in this production is diverse and strong. Benjamin Wilson as Candy is a powerhouse. A blind actor playing a blind character, he felt omnipresent throughout the 2-hour 30-minute show. He commanded the stage throughout and personified a deep-rooted need for escapism.

Ivan Stott’s sound was bravely understated, giving the performers the space they needed to tell this story. At first, I was worried this was an example of playing it safe, but as the play progressed, it became clear that the actors did not require an extravagant set, sound and lighting in order to showcase their talents. The simplicity of Jess Curtis’s set brings the audience immediately into the story. Jess Curtis was also responsible for the costumes, which place the story perfectly into the 1930s. 

Sarah Brigham’s direction navigated the controversy of this text well. This play has faced debate for its themes of ableism and racism. The racist slurs in the original text were watered down. This was not done to minimise the themes but to allow them to be explored in a more approachable way. It is a challenging piece of literature designed to make the audience think. It is faithful to its time and, one hopes, is now outdated. A balance has to be struck between staying faithful to the tale whilst ensuring relevance to this day, and in my opinion, Sarah Brigham did this well.

Of Mice and Men is a cornerstone of American Literature, which is why it is still studied today. Is it problematic? Yes. That is reflective of where and when it was written. Should we, because of that, ignore it? I don’t think so. The issues it explores are not redundant now. They do, however, have to be explored with sensitivity. This production utilises a fantastic cast and a careful approach to make Of Mice and Men a performance that is not to be missed.

Of Mice And Men plays at the Octagon Theatre until 12th April, tickets from: https://octagonbolton.co.uk/events/of-mice-and-men

Photos by Pamela Raith and Graeme Braidwood