No one captured the American zeitgeist during the time of the Great Depression more definitively than John Steinbeck. His “Of Mice and Men” is a gripping tale that examines the human spirit and the power – and tragedy – of friendship.
The Chenango River Theatre in Greene is closing out its 2010 season with the Steinbeck classic, which debuted last week and runs through Oct. 24. It seems a bit odd to call a 70-plus year old tale timely, but the themes of “Of Mice and Men” still ring true today. We still dream of being our own boss; we still draw strength from the bonds of brotherhood; we still destroy that which we love the most.
The setting is, of course, in the late 1930s, somewhere in the vast agricultural valleys of northern California. George (Jack Harris) and Lennie (Ted Nappi) are itinerant workers, bouncing from one farm to another in search of work and, ultimately, a better life. No matter how desolate things seem to be, the American Dream still gives people like George and Lennie the strength to keep going. Their dreams are simple – to own a little piece of land of their own, and to be the masters of their own destinies. Lennie’s dream is actually the simpler of the two, because he is, as they say, a simple man. Although politically incorrect now, the people of their time would have called him retarded. All Lennie wants is to tend rabbits on his little plot of land and do well by George.
George is the more pragmatic of the two, trying desperately to keep Lennie on an even keel and work toward their goal. He knows that Lennie’s simple nature can sometimes lead him to do unexpected, terrible things. That’s exactly what he wants to avoid in their new workplace, but bullies like Curley (David Melissaratos) don’t make it easy. At the new ranch, they’re befriended by sad old coot Candy (Michael Arcesi), who wants in on their dream of emancipation. Slim (Steven Patterson) is the wise ranch foreman who sees Lennie for what he really is – a childlike mind belied by brutish strength. It’s a combination which proves to be lethal.
