Cinnabar Theater in Petaluma presents Steinbeck’s masterpiece Of Mice & Men, starring Keith Baker (right) and Samson Hood as the famous friends George and Lennie. (Photo by Eric Chazankin)
OF MICE AND MEN: Drama by John Steinbeck. Directed by Sheri Lee Miller. Cinnabar Theater, 3333 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma, CA. 707-763-8920 or visit www.cinnabartheater.org March 21 –April 6, 2014.
EXTENDED THROUGH APRIL 13
Steinbeck’s OF MICE AND MEN grips the heart at Cinnabar [rating: 5] (5/5 stars)
Steinbeck’s OF MICE AND MEN grips the heart at Cinnabar [rating 5] (5/5 stars)a spontaneous standing ovation after the initial shock of the expected heart tugging horrendous coup de grâce ending that had the audience riveted to their seats and brought gasps from a grown man sitting nearby. It is the kind of production Cinnabar has consistently mounted. It is visually stunning, in an earthy inelegant manner that truly reflects the time and place of action, and with great acting and taut direction that deserves full audiences during its run.
The play had its origins in Steinbeck’s first professional short stories published in 1932 under the title of “Pastures of Heaven” that chronicled the arrival of newcomers to the Salinas Valley full of hope and dreams and intertwining lives. In 2011 California Shakespeare Company produced a theatrical adaptation of those stories by Octavio Solis and directed by Jonathan Moscone. They are classic California stories of dreams that whither and only the land endures. By 1939 Steinbeck became the champion of the disenfranchised and eventually won the Pulitzer Prize for the dust bowl saga “The Grapes of Wrath.”
In 1937, two years before writing that seminal novel he wrote the novella “Of Mice and Men” fully planning it to be a stage play. He wrote the script for the stage production, first produced on Broadway in 1937 directed by directed by George S. Kaufman. It starred Wallace Ford as George and Broderick Crawford as Lennie and ran for 207 performances. Since then there have been two or three movies, the most notable is the 1939 version starring Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney Jr. that was faithful to play and is well worth revisiting.
The original play was written in three acts beginning with the idyllic scene along the Salinas River where George (Keith Baker) and Lennie(Samson Hood), are spending the night before continuing on to their jobs as ranch hands. Lennie is a slow witted hulk with limited recall skills. George has become his de facto protector and purveyor of the dream to own that elusive piece of land where Lennie can raise rabbits and they can live “off the fat of the land.”
On the job they buck bales of wheat 10 to 11 hours a day and share the bunk house with cowboy Slim (Tim Kniffin), insensitive Carlson (Anthony Shaw Abaté) and old kind hearted Candy (Clark Miller), who lost a hand working on the farm for which he received $250 indemnity, and Whit (Kevin Singer). All are inured to living uneventful existences of playing horseshoes, card playing, storytelling and discussion of their trips “to town.” All avoid hot-headed Curly (James Gagarin) and his unnamed wife (Ilana Niernberger). Then there is Crooks (Dorian Lockett) a black man relegated to the barn due to rampant racism.
Title of the play is taken from Robert Burns’ poem “The Mouse”: “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft agley.” (The best laid schemes of mice and men / Often go awry.) Lennie’s affinity for soft furry mice that he unintentionally kills with his powerful hands telegraphs what is to happen before the play ends.
Samson Hood’s superb interpretation of the loveable mentally challenged Lennie steals the show with his imposing stature, wide-eyed childlike innocence yet powerful demeanor worthy of a Tony award. Director Miller keeps the interaction balanced with minor exceptions that occasionally do not ring true but do not detract from over-all excellence of the staging.
Cinnabar’s’ ensemble actors bring each of the characters to life and under Sheri Lee Miller’s sensitive direction you will feel the torment of Lennie and George and the claustrophobic environment that eventual destroys all dreams. There are touching scenes that will have you reaching out to individual characters. One such scene involving the fate of Candy’s ancient dog is a heart stopper and Clark Miller handles that role with unspoken internal devastation and eventually his joy of being allowed to “buy into” Lennie’s dream is palpable. Another is when Dorian Lockett makes you feel his racist isolation and his desire to join Lennie, George and Candy to that elusive piece of land where they can be free.
Keith Baker as George has the most difficult challenge of playing opposite Samson Hood’s perfect depiction of Lennie, but with exemplary timing and under-playing the role you feel his frustration and emotional attachment to his burden that is Lennie. Ilana Niernberger playing Curley’s wife exudes the sexual nature of the roll and will have you leaning forward in the fatal scene when she asks Lennie to stroke her hair.
(l to r) Cinnabar Theater in Petaluma presents Steinbeck’s masterpiece Of Mice & Men, featuring Kevin Thomas Singer, Samson Hood, Tim Kniffin, and James Gagarin. (Photo by Eric Chazankin)
The set is a marvel with accolade’s well deserved by scenic designer, Joe Elwick and the creative support staff. This reviewer highly recommends it as a must see production. Running time 2 hours and 20 minutes.
CAST: Keith Baker (George), Samson Hood (Lennie), Anthony Shaw Abaté (Carlson), James Gagarin (Curley), Tim Kniffin (Slim), Dorian Lockett (Crooks), Clark Miller (Candy), Ilana Niernberger (Curley’s wife), Kevin Singer (Whit), and Barton Smith (The Boss).
Creative Team: Director, Sheri Lee Miller; Stage Manager, Ross Tiffany Brown; Scenic Designer, Joe Elwick; Costume Designer, Pat Fitzgerald; Lighting Designer, Wayne Hovey; Sound Designer, Jim Peterson; Fight Choreographer, Barton Smith; Assistant to the Director, Lauren Heney; Production Manager, Sharlyri Klein; Photographer, Eric Chazankin.
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com
