Event: Of Mice and
Men
Playwright: John
Steinbeck
School: Missouri
Western State University
Performance Date: Wednesday
Jan 21
Our dreams, whether we achieve them or not, often sustain us
for another day. The American Dream in particular provided sustenance in the
face of despair for those living in the 1930s and still does today.
John Steinbeck created a classic novel, testing this
American Dream. Can it withstand heartbreak, desperation, and adversity? Or
does it dissolve into a harsh, unforgiving reality?
Missouri Western State University’s production of the
Steinbeck’s play adaptation, Of Mice and
Men, puts these questions to the test, illustrating this courage,
determination, and will to survive against all odds. With sweaty, dirty faces,
and torn overalls, George (Steve Catron) and Lennie (Riley Bayer), saunter
onstage and bring us into the 1930s.
At the time, the Salinas Valley of California was a lonely place
for many migrant workers. It is lonely for George and Lennie. They formed camaraderie
to counteract this disparaging loneliness. Like two brothers, they share a dream of
owning a ranch together where they can live off the “fat of the land.” Daily
life is a different matter one of frustration, bicker, banter, and routine. George
reprimands Lennie for killing a small mouse by accident. George gets angry, and
Lennie pouts. This is their routine. In each other, they find home.
Lennie is burly, wide-eyed, and struggles with his speech
due to a mental disability. George is intelligent and caring but stern. These
gentlemen compliment each other and carry the show until the very end. Their
performance was a gift.
Every aspect of director Dallas Henry’s production is alive
with texture and aroma. Jeff Stover’s scenic design was absolute. The floor of
the stage was covered with hay; the backdrop was a thin burlap draping; and
wooden paneled flats split the stage horizontally, leaving room to spot who was
having a private conversation and who was listening in behind the wall. Crickets
could be heard as the characters spoke of perfume, sweat and dirty, old dog
smell. Our senses would filled to the brim, and Of Mice and Men fell right into our laps.
The entire ensemble of male ranch hands was dynamic and
individual, illustrating “a world of mutts” as one of the characters describes.
Slim (Daniel Montgomery), the jerkline skinner, was in charge of his crew. They
did was he asked, and in return he assumed the role of fair, responsible
umpire. Carlson (Jesse Boley) was unsympathetic and logical. When he said it
was time to kill Candy’s old dog, it was done; and he did the killing. Towards
the bottom of the totem pole was Candy (Andy Tyhurst). He was the oldest,
missing a hand, and dejected. Curley (Jordan Jinkerson), is the hard authority
of this crew. As the boss’s son, his word becomes law. The men knew who held
alliances with whom and how to stay out of trouble. Everyone was in everyone’s
business. This ensemble of men was so in tune with one another that even silent
moments were filled with unspoken conversation and solidarity.
Samantha Simmons played Curley’s wife. She did not share the
energy of the ranch hands. This is a critical role as the only female among
these damaged and desperate men. Curley’s wife is an object of desire, framed
by fear of the unobtainable. She disrupts the status quo of the men because she
is desperately searching for a kindness she cannot find in her husband.
Every character had a gaping hole of vulnerability that
needed to be filled. George and Lennie needed each other and their dreams. They
both try to hold fast to what is precious and soft despite the brutality of
their living situation. Searching for meaning and joy in a saloon, George tries
to make it day to day. The alternative was ultimate despair, and no reason to
get out of bed in the morning.
The audience began to hope with these characters, dreaming
of a better life. The fragility of joy on the ranch could not withstand
mistakes. George protected Lennie for as long as he could. Though Lennie killed
everything fragile he touched, from mice to pups to anything soft, George was
always able to find an escape. This time, there was none. The vulnerability of
these characters collided, and no one could escape unscathed. Curley’s wife
lost her life, Lennie lost his freedom, and George lost all excuses.
Rules are rules, and the law would not have sympathy for a
well-intentioned Lennie. The rules of the world are unexplainable to someone
with the eyes and innocence of a child. In
the end, the only gift George could give to his best friend was mercy.
The audience had built a relationship with Lennie and
George, wanting the best for them, hoping that dreams do come true. As George’s
gun went off, the invested audience shook and their hearts sank. All eyes were
glued to the stage in this traumatizing, heartbreaking moment.
Affection will not save you from justice, and dreams will
not escape desperation, not even the American dream.
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