Hidden away in the centre of Birmingham there is a window into the lives of George Milton and Lennie Small, two men lost in the midst of America’s Great Depression in search of work and a place to belong among the pups, mice and working men of 1930’s California. John Steinbeck’s infamous novella Of Mice and Men is brought to life in the four walls of Birmingham Repertory Theatre.  

As you enter you are immersed into the dry heat of the Californian desert paired with an ambience of folk music and the red hue of a sunset. With thanks to the work of Ciarán Bagnall, Of Mice and Men’s set really does play a part in the performance.  In many ways it comes alive to transport you from the western desert to the interior of a ranch bunkhouse consisting of bare wooden beams and hay bales which create the perfect backdrop for a stark, bleak and dusty ranch. With very few location changes, all that was needed was a tilting set piece to replicate a tapering skyline or a low hanging wooden roof to bring the space into a smaller and more intimate setting. 

Beginning with a brief flashback to the pair’s time in Weed, we are soon brought to the scenic introduction ‘A few miles south of Soledad’. Then we are introduced to the central characters George and Lennie as we embark on their journey alongside them, from sleeping rough in the Californian desert to the working life in the ranch. Once the two men fall asleep the ensemble’s voices fill the theatre in a masterpiece of choral American folk song, the rickety bunkbeds taking us to Lennie and George’s home for next few months. The travelling partners’ relationship is conveyed with care and passion; you really do get a sense of the long journey and close friendship, making the play’s ending that much more impactful. Once you become settled in Steinbeck’s world, and the desert ambience even starts to make you feel warm, Michael Crouch’s wonderful canine creation walks (or should I say limps) onto the stage. Candy’s familiar old dog is brought to life as a puppet, Jake Benson is both his hind legs and personal voice box, seamlessly creating a breathing, coughing and limping old dog.  

The most notable aspect of Iqbal Khan’s dramatisation is its loyalty to the book; the characters, storyline and atmosphere were perfectly immortalised. However, one glaring missing detail was the lack of tension and build-up to the climax of the story; following Lennie and George from the beginning of their journey we are made aware of the ‘bad thing’ Lennie did back in Weed, and that although he means well there is an accidental violent streak in the character. There are two major plot points in Steinbeck’s novella, the injury to Curley’s hand and his wife’s unfortunate death, both of which seemed remarkably underplayed. Particularly Curley’s Wife’s death, appearing as a rushed and underwhelming portrayal of one of American literature’s most famous dramatic denouements.  

With that being said, Iqbal Khan’s Of Mice and Men truly does pay a good tribute to Steinbeck’s story. No stone is left unturned, the set brings the outside in giving an accurate depiction of working and living conditions. The beautiful vocal talent of each cast member and their ability brings to the stage the very same characters we saw on the page.  

★★★★☆   Scarlett Loveless    24 March 2023