A great American tragedy

First appeared: Evening Star, Ipswich, November 6, 2005

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Mercury Theatre, Colchester until November 19

IF it is possible to say one decade has seared itself into American history, consciousness and identity more than any other, it is surely the 1930s. The Great Depression - the era when for so many the American Dream became a living nightmare.

And if one writer encapsulates the spirit of that decade, it is Steinbeck.

Of Mice and Men is small jewel of a book. It distils the essence of that time when displaced men roamed the land in search of temporary work.

Yet it is also timeless, going to the heart of what it means to be "a nice fella", the need of human beings for each other's company, the emptiness of yearning for the unattainable.

The simple, sad tale of gentle giant Lennie and his pal George, who has to do all the thinking for both of them, converts perfectly for the stage in Steinbeck's own adaptation.

And it can surely never have been better performed than by the excellent Mercury Theatre Company under Nikolai Foster's assured direction.

Victor Gardener gives a stunning portrayal of the childlike Lennie. His awkward body language and quiet nervous laugh capture the innocence and dangerousness of the character perfectly.

David Tarkenter is equally good as George.

One moment he is railing at having to look after Lennie and get him out of scrapes, the next he is treating him with utter kindness and gentleness.

There is real affection there, real care - and in the end you can see his bottled-up emotion leaving him struggling harder than Lennie to think clearly.

These two brilliant central performances are supported by a flawless cast. Particularly effective are Col Farrell as the aging Candy and Charlene Robertson as the young woman whose mere presence on an otherwise all-male ranch leads to tragedy.

Deep issues, strong characters and finely structured story-telling have made Of Mice and Men a natural text for study by generations of school students. This production is so good it kept those of the present generation who were there spellbound.