REVIEWS REVIEWS
The Theatre Royal York produced a strange evening which was only surmounted by the masterful writing of John Steinbeck. The line "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft a-gley, An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain For promised joy!" from Robert Burn's poem are put to good effect in this play of affection for a less able person. The Octagon Theatre of Bolton gave the audience a glimpse of something rare when they brought this classic play, centred round the relationships of drifters who worked for American's tenant farmers in the depression of the thirties, to York. Mark Babych's direction brought the best from his band of actors as he allowed them to bring out the pathos and tenderness from Steinbeck's writing.
The play showed us George, a drifter, superbly played by Michael Glen Murphy, befriending his less able cousin Lennie, played with great feeling and insight by Joe Montana. The first rate UK cast handle the American accent well and take us through this fraught existence where they are forced to mixed with the inevitable misfits and simple souls wanting to find the unobtainable peace. Based on Steinbeck's own experiences, which he has cleverly brought out to give this play a depth not usually found on the stage, as we know that some of the characters are still alive. The set designed by Dawn Alsop seems just right as it transforms from outside to inside bunk house with almost no effort.
So what you may ask was the something strange about the evening? Well first the box office could not find tickets and had to issue new ones creating a queue in the process. Then the noise from the foyer's poor sound proofing drowned out the chirping of the crickets and gave the actors competition in the first act. All this was nothing compared to the superb performance by a member of the theatre staff who took her seat in the auditorium and snored her way to the interval. An evening at the theatre should be a combined experience of all that is best in entertainment, but not even these niggles, which need looking at, could spoil a great play for an appreciative audience. © BA
“Of Mice and Men” is at York from the 26th of February to the 16th March, 2002.
