I fulfil 20-year literary ambition and review 'Of Mice and Men': Derby Theatre production hits emotional highs
Discover why 'Of Mice and Men' at Derby Theatre captivates with its timeless themes and captivating performances by Liam King and Wiliam Young.
I love when a popular book is given a theatrical makeover, even better if it has been on my reading list for years.
John Steinbeck’s 1937 classic Of Mice And Men is a critically acclaimed tome long featured on school reading lists for decades.
George Milton and Lennie Small are two key protagonists and drifters who move around California seeking jobs as ranch hands during the Great Depression.
Themes of the great American dream - having land with loved ones to call your own, abound.
Yet at its core is the poignant relationship between George and Lennie, played with aplomb by Liam King and Wiliam Young respectively.
Their co-dependancy and depth of their unassailable bond is highlighted from the moment we set eyes on them in the opening scene, right through to the tear-jerking finale.
The play is a faithful adaptation of the Steinbeck classic and it makes me go ahead and read the novel.
The play’s pacing and character depiction was good, but what I loved was the prescient story-telling, touching on topics that are still relevant today.
Xenophobia, loneliness, lack of empathy and tolerance are all omnipresent topics that continue to affect people in the 21st century, making Steinbeck’s novel timeless.
Rousing performances from Stefan Race (Curley) and his wife (Emma Charlton) were personal highlights.
However it was the ending scene with beautiful acting by Liam King and Wiliam Young that stayed with me, and which I am still thinking about 24-hours later.
Of Mice And Men Derby Theatre
Speaking about the show, a spokesperson for Derby Theatre said: ‘Part of the vision for the production is that we have cast actors with the lived-experience of the characters.
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‘The actor playing Candy is disabled, the actor playing Crooks has a major back injury and the actor/s playing Lennie are Learning-Disabled. Due to the tour being so long, we wanted to take into account that for an actor with learning disabilities, this could present some access challenges, so we have invested in employing two learning-disabled actors to share the role.’
Derby Theatre is also offering integrated creative audio descriptions performed in character by the actors, available on all performances from Thursday February 13.
This is to support the access needs of blind and visually impaired audience members while adding an extra layer of performance for all who choose to listen in.
Of Mice And Men at Derby Theatre is a collaborative production between the host theatre, Octagon Theatre Bolton, Hull Truck Theatre and Theatre by the Lake Production.
Of Mice And Men is showing at Derby Theatre till Saturday March 1, 2025.
Location: Derby Theatre, 15 Theatre Walk, St Peter's Quarter, Derby DE1 2NF
For more information click here: derbytheatre.co.uk