HOPE WITH CALLOUSED HANDS:
A QUIET MASTERPIECE REVISITED

John Steinbeck’s play Of Mice and Men came quickly after the success of his novella by the same name. In fact, the play opened on Broadway in 1937 while the book was still on best sellers lists. In each telling, Steinbeck draws upon his own teenage experiences in the 1910s working alongside migrant farm workers like the ones in this story. Unlike today, where a Latino influence would be essential, the time period lends itself to a group of white men plus one Black man, allowing for racism to play a small part in the play (toned down from a more focal factor of the book).

George Milton (John Carroll) and Lennie Small (Knight Padilla), two migrant workers bound by friendship, arrive at a ranch, seeking work during the Depression. Something unpleasant clearly happened at their last job and, while we don’t know quite what that was, it’s clear that it led to their move. George is sharp and guarded, but tenderhearted toward his counterpart; Lennie is physically large and powerful, yet gentle, dull-witted, and vulnerable, relying on George to navigate a harsh world. Their shared dream of stability and self-sufficiency quietly sets them apart from other men who drift alone.

On the ranch, the social order asserts itself quickly. Curley (Nicolas A. Castillo), the boss’s aggressive son, patrols his authority with suspicion, especially toward Lennie’s size and silence. Curley’s unnamed wife (Alyssa Salacup), restless and isolated, moves through the bunkhouse hungry for attention, her presence stirring unease and gossip. Candy (Tom Kilroy), an aging handyman with a damaged hand, watches these newcomers carefully; keenly aware that usefulness equals survival, he hopes that closeness might spare him from becoming expendable.

Steinbeck establishes a world shaped by power, loneliness, and fragile hopes. Beneath everyday routines, tension simmers: strength without protection is dangerous; kindness is easily misunderstood; and dreams are both a comfort and a risk in a place where security is never guaranteed and trust is a gamble.

The script is strong enough that a director’s primary task is simply to stay out of its way and let it do its work. Fortunately, Teri Brown understands this, shaping tone and pacing with evident respect for the dialogue. She’s aided by a truly fine cast, one of the best Lamplighters has assembled. Too often in community theatre, praise comes with a qualifier (“They did a very nice job for a community theatre”), and there’s no shame in that. Here, however, the work feels genuinely elevated, with performances that would hold up under the kind of close, intimate scrutiny demanded by a professional venue, such as the Old Globe’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre.

Most striking is Mr. Padilla as Lennie, who carries his great frame like a burden at times and wields it gleefully at others, particularly when the subject of rabbits arises. With far more lines and responsibility, Mr. Carroll’s George anchors the play, giving the character’s hard life its necessary crust while allowing his humanity to surface, especially in moments alone with Lennie. Ms. Salacup also shines, delivering a key Act II scene that reveals her character’s inner life and prevents her from remaining merely two-dimensional.

There are a surprising number of scene changes for a small theater to manage, and set designer Katrina Peterson, along with the stage management team, handles them admirably. The transitions deliver a variety of settings that feel authentic to both period and place, each visually distinct, even when separated by only the briefest curtain closures.

It’s no wonder that the remainder of this run is sold out; Lamplighters has wisely chosen a classic story worthy of re-telling, full of great characters that thoroughly engaged me throughout, and brought it to life with a loving hand.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

photos by Daren Scott

Of Mice and Men
Lamplighters Community Theatre, 5915 Severin Drive
ends on February 1, 2025
for tickets ($25-$30), call 619.303.5092​ or visit Lamplighters

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦