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First,
there’s Wyllie Longmore’s perceptive adaptation of John
Steinbeck’s classic, poetic novel set in the America of the
depression. Working closely with Jim Johnson, the theatre’s
Head of Learning & Outreach, Longmore has distilled Steinbeck’s
masterpiece into a powerful 65 minutes.
The
heart rending story of two migrant workers – clever, streetwise,
quick George and lumbering, dangerously-strong Lenny – is told
to powerful effect by the six actors in the cast.
The
set is minimal and all the actors remain on stage throughout,providing
a neat, play-within-a-play effect. The pair dream fancifully of
a place of their own, a fancy that’s doomed to go the way of
all pipe dreams. Especially when Lenny, with his learning difficulties
and superhuman strength, “does another bad thing” in the
play's famously shocking twist.
What
is most impressive is the way this production sticks faithfully,
even lovingly, to the original text. No fancy-dan, inappropriate
updating here; no misguided attempts to improve Steinbeck’s
lyrical and compelling mix of broken dreams and ill-fated companionships.
Instead
it's packed with social comment that remains crucially relevant
today, a story that speaks to the excluded everywhere. The overriding
theme is spelt out by George, played by the excellent Kieron Smith,
in the first scene:
“Guys
like us that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world.
They got no family. They don’t belong no place.”
Smith
and James Malcolm (Lenny) obviously occupy centre stage for much
of the action; but fine portrayals of the disabled Candy (Steve
Swift), bullying Curley (Ryan Barber), racially abused Crooks (Darren
Holness) and the misunderstood temptress, Curley’s wife (Olivia
Nelson), underline exactly why it’s proved such a success.
It
really is potent stuff – and, if the jam-packed audience of
teenagers (who started off more interested in Michael Owen’s
penalty miss at Southampton than George and Lenny’s Californian
dreamings!) is anything to go by, it’s also a compelling dramatic
adaptation.
There’s
only one drawback with this production: I can’t recommend you
go to see it as it’s already sold out! A three-week long tour;
32 performances; a run that took in theatres from Burnley and Manchester
to Bangor and Shropshire – after three hugely successful years,
Gateway’s T.I.E. project shows no signs of running out of steam.
Words:
Mike Sadler
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