A parable for our times

Year 9 students enjoyed a trip to Leeds Playhouse to see a production of John Steinbeck’s classic Of Mice and Men, set during the Great Depression, a story of enduring friendship amid the disintegration of the American dream, with themes of economic migration, racism, prejudice and exclusion. Students gave their views

Lily Abrahams

“The setting created a great atmosphere. It was smoky and gloomy, which fits the mood of the book. I loved how the actors sang the songs themselves it was really original and amazing with a real country feel. I also loved how when they were moving props they sang music so it didn't make it too obvious.”

Emmett Dalton

“The lighting was cool as all the lights were on a moving structure which re-angled as and when needed. The music was all live and made into a part of the play which was very interesting and fun. The lights and music contributed to the atmosphere and helped convey the mood that each part of the play conveyed. The set was fairly simple throughout, but very effective with settings such as the bunkhouse well thought out.”

Molly Broadbent

“The journey to the theatre was fun - we were able to sit with friends, eat our lunch and go on our phones. The bus ride didn't seem long and wasn't very noisy as the forms were separated onto three buses. When we arrived at the theatre we were still able to sit with friends and share our snacks.”

Elliot Say

“We left school just after the third period, we all got on the bus and the forms were split, A and B on one C and D on another and E on their own bus. On the way we were allowed to sit where we want, listen to music, talk to friends, play games and eat our packed lunches.”

Abanoub Girgis

“I thought the stage effects was presented and done well, helping create the atmosphere of what happened in the dust bowl. But the background lacked variety, keeping the same background for the whole play made it look a little dull. More changes would help encourage more engagement with the play. Nonetheless, I thought everything else looked great.”

Robin Jennings

“The characters in the play were done very well. The actors stayed faithful to the characters they were and suited the roles they were assigned. The costume work was also great as not only do the main characters look exactly like they do on the cover of the book, but also the rest of the cast wore well-made clothes which were realistic for what people wore during the 1930s. The cast also looked like they were enjoying the performance which is always great to see.”