Finding Hope in Tragedy: Threshold Repertory Theatre presents a riveting adaptation “Of Mice and Men”

By Mark A. Leon – Photo courtesy of Mystic Productions

Companionship is the only thing that keeps this lonely journey of life bearable.

During the Great Depression, America became lost; a feeling so void of emotion that the idea of existence was the only medicine in a society exposed to a viral disease leaving our country numb. Within this melting pot of nameless faceless wanderers without dreams, without hope, were the migrant farmhands who bailed hay to make enough money to drown their sorrows in whiskey and the company of a young woman behind closed doors. This is the world of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Director Chris Weatherhead took this depression-era classic and has given it a new life at the Threshold Repertory Theatre in Charleston, SC

Actor Daniel Jones’ depiction of the mentally-delayed Lennie, whose brute strength and infantile maturity, was one blessed with inspiration. Some of his more poignant moments came when he did not speak, but as a member of the audience you were drawn into his empty gaze. Within his eyes, one can see Lennie is disconnected from reality and viewing the world from a place of imagination. I found myself reflecting on my youth when I saw Lennie’s limitless world, where his dreams blocked the harshness of reality. Lennie’s American Dream was that of a young boy who liked to embrace comforting objects, laugh and find a place to call home.

Philip Gajewski’s empowered performance as George was one filled with palpable frustration. Through years of caring for a mentally challenged friend, George developed a facade of mistrust and aggressive, yet gentle vigilance over Lennie. He also showed an inviting side, making him authentic and approachable. As a first time player at Threshold, he gave a masterful lead performance.

Daniel and Philip were complimented with seamless synergy by the supporting cast that included the tall gentleness of Paul O’Brien as Slim and rough jealousy of Mike Kordek as Curly. Nat Jones played the role of Candy beautifully, with his one arm holding on to the last bit of hope and Kyle Taylor portrayed a damaged and subjugated soul who has accepted his place in society (Crooks) as a black man during the Depression. Daniella DeRobbio, one of the only female cast members, plays the painfully lonely farmer’s wife.

With each passing interaction, the thought of two men traveling together baffled the farmers and even led Slim to theorize that maybe we are all just afraid of each other. Trust plays a deep underlying theme in this production as this group of strangers must determine what elements of trust can be extracted in order for them to fulfill their personal dreams.

Photo courtesy of Mystic Productions

This production exposes the audience to a deep underlying theme of unspoken friendship. In a period where blacks and whites were treated differently and the poor were second class citizens treated with just enough respect to keep them from insanity, this play drives three key relationships: Candy with his aging crippled dog, Slim and Crooks who value companionship over societal norms favoring racism, and Lennie and George whose unique caretaker/partner relationship is more complex than it seems.

From the opening scene, where Lennie and George lounge on a hilltop by a tree stump eating beans, looking at one chapter of their lives close and another about to begin, you see a bond established in the backdrop of a nation struggling for answers. Like a father to his child, George tells a tale where Lennie plays with the rabbits all day, they have a home to call their own, they work only 7 or 8 hours a day and they live by their own rules. George doesn’t believe his words, but he knows Lennie does. As the story evolves, Candy, Crooks and even George begin to believe. Not just because they truly feel this dream is attainable, but because they have to believe there is something better.

The conflict of the play comes in the form of a beautiful, dark-haired young lady who belongs to the boss’s son, Curly. She is torn by a life of emptiness and unfulfilled promise of a new beginning in Hollywood. Her alienation from the men and jealousy of her husband drives a spike through her foundation of sanity. Her loneliness clouds the judgement of the men and creates the illusion she is a tramp, not a woman, just seeking a friend to talk to.

The foreshadowing of her ambitions and flirtatious behavior scripts an impending doom and casts a cloud over a group of ranchers who cannot remember the feel of sunlight warming their souls.
The director and cast remind us that good and bad is not black and white. We are all flawed; flawed by our upbringing; our surroundings, our influences; our ambitions and fears. It is this dichotomy that as an audience member, left me mixed with hope, rage, pain and faith.

The cast collectively took the characters in this classic and channeled them the way not many theater companies could. They internalized a life of struggle and put themselves in a position of alienation, where the only means of survival are the brief moments of escape. They captured the crudeness of slang language, fleeting moments of trust between untrusting humans and the rough conditions of poverty, bringing the audience to a place we have never seen or experienced. This production was poignant and hopeful for better days ahead, the days that our nation now enjoy.

We urge you to join Chris, Daniel, Philip and the rest of the exceptional cast for a night of reflection, struggle, friendship, hope and moments that will resonate with your own life.

Ticket Information for Of Mice and Men