John Steinbeck’s classic novella
Of Mice and Men has been a staple of many young people's education, and it is relatively common in curricula; as such, it is a popular choice for theatre groups, both professional and amateur, to bring to the stage. Therefore, this week, The Playhouse Theatre Northampton has brought its own version to the stage at Christ Church Hall as its latest offering. So, after close to ninety years since the first publication, is this still worth a trip to the theatre?
For those unfamiliar with the story, published in 1937, Steinbeck’s tale, here adapted for the stage by the author, chronicles a moment in the lives of George Milton and Lennie Small, an unlikely pair of migrant workers, as they move from ranch to ranch. Constantly moving due to the mentally unstable Lennies' constant leaning towards doing something bad, they find themselves at a new farm where they hope to make the coin to pursue the dream of their own piece of land. However, as always for George and Lennie, things never quite work out as planned.
At the heart of this production, directed by Rob Kendall, are two captivating, powerful, and emotionally charged performances: Jake Turner as George and Anderson North as Lennie. Their work together is perfect. Turner, as George, brings his love for his friend Lennie, despite the problems he causes, right to the heart of his performance. Alongside him, the powerful Lennie is excellent in the hands of Anderson North, perhaps not as large as imagined within the novel. Still, through his performance, his strength is evident. The portrayal is also respectful of the character's disability, avoiding overplaying or caricaturising the character's behaviour. The pair also add surprising humour to the piece through their performances, allowing the required light and shade from the intensity of Steinbeck’s work.
Simon Rye brings the ageing Candy to the stage with a quiet calm and sadness, which makes it all the more potent in his moments of anger, especially against Curley’s wife, a tart, as he describes, who has no business mixing with the menfolk now she is married. Holly Hughs-Rowland plays Curley’s wife captivatingly and is perfectly cast in the somewhat story-driven role, a character there only, as Steinbeck once stated, to further the story. Hughes-Rowland perhaps makes more of it than can sometimes be seen in other productions, leaving the audience at times sad for her as well, a woman who perhaps does, at times, want company and not how the menfolk think.
Shane McCormack plays Curley in all the desperate and brutish manner the role needs. A broken record of “have you seen my wife” from him, and challenging anyone he fancies to a fight; he would always expect to win, until he meets Lennie, that is.
The set, designed by the director alongside Mark Mortimer, evokes the time and place, and the staging for the venue is ambitious and generally works. There are issues with sections of the play that are at ground level, where the audience cannot see what is happening at times.
However, beyond this, the power of the story remains, and even after seeing it many times and studying it myself, the cast once again filled me with emotion as the play inevitably tumbles towards two moments of tremendous high-stakes drama before the final curtain.
An emotionally charged and brilliantly performed production of the classic.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Performance reviewed: Friday 30th January, 2026 at The Playhouse Theatre, Northampton (Christ Church Hall)
Of Mice and Men runs at The Playhouse Theatre Northampton until Saturday, 31st January 2026.
For further details about The Playhouse Theatre Northampton, see their website at https://www.playhousenorthampton.com/
Photographs: Mia Ballard
