TEHRAN- A loose adaptation of American writer John Steinbeck’s novella “Of Mice and Men” is currently on stage at Hafez Theater Hall in Tehran. 

Mehdi Rezai is the director of the play, which will remain on stage until March 10. 

Ali Baqeri, Milad Farajzadeh, Hamid Rashid, Borna Ansari and Negar Salahshour are the main members of the cast for the play.

"Of Mice and Men" is set against the backdrop of the Great Depression and follows the journey of two migrant field workers in California: George Milton and Lennie Small. George is an intelligent yet uneducated man, while Lennie, a large and strong individual, suffers from a mental disability. Together, they share the dream of owning a piece of land where they can settle down, a fantasy that symbolizes hope amidst their harsh reality. Lennie's specific desire is to tend to rabbits, reflecting his innocence and childlike nature, but his love for soft creatures often leads to tragic consequences, as he tends to accidentally harm them when he pets them too strongly.

The story begins with George and Lennie fleeing from the town of Weed, where Lennie's innocent mistake of grabbing a woman's skirt led to false accusations of rape and a mob wanting to lynch him. Their reliance on each other is a central theme, with George acting as Lennie's protector and caretaker.

Upon securing employment at a ranch, they encounter various characters, including Curley, the boss’s aggressive son, who takes an immediate dislike to Lennie due to his size. Curley’s flirtatious wife also becomes an unintended source of conflict, as Lennie is drawn to her, which complicates the dynamics on the ranch. The duo forms a friendship with Candy, an older disabled handyman, and Slim, a thoughtful and competent mule driver. Slim’s kindness includes giving Lennie a puppy, further solidifying their bond and hinting at their aspirations for the future.

As the narrative progresses, their shared vision of owning land becomes more tangible when Candy proposes to contribute $350 to their dream in exchange for a place to live. This excitement is abruptly interrupted when Curley attacks Lennie, and under George's encouragement, Lennie retaliates, easily crushing Curley’s hand. This incident temporarily boosts George’s sense of security, leading him to briefly abandon Lennie while socializing with others from the ranch.

Later, while exploring the stable, Lennie meets Crooks, the isolated black stable hand, and they discuss their dream. Candy joins them, trying to fend off Crooks' pessimism about their aspirations. However, the dream continues to feel fragile and threatened, especially with Curley’s wife, who later threatens the men, revealing her own loneliness and bitterness.

Tragedy strikes when Lennie accidentally kills his puppy, which leads to a fateful encounter with Curley’s wife. She enters the barn seeking companionship and eventually allows Lennie to stroke her hair. Overwhelmed by fear when he pulls too hard, she screams, prompting Lennie to panic and unintentionally break her neck. In a state of terror, he flees the scene.

As news of her death circulates, the ranch hands form a lynch mob to hunt Lennie down. Understanding that their dream has been shattered, George rushes to find Lennie at their designated meeting spot. There, he comforts him by recounting their dream one last time, fully aware that it is now just an illusion. When the mob closes in, George takes the heart-wrenching decision to shoot Lennie in the back of the head, offering him a merciful death compared to the brutality he would face from the villagers. Afterward, Slim is the only one who comprehends the depth of George's sacrifice, leading him away from the grim reality, while Curley and Carlson fail to grasp the emotional turmoil that lies beneath George's actions. 

SAB/