West Yorkshire Playhouse unil 14/11

The success of the Pulitzer-prize winning novel, 1939’s The Grapes of Wrath, demands high expectations of its theatrical counterpart. Fortunately, these expectations are wholeheartedly met, and the focus on the endurance of human spirit makes the successful transition from novel to play.

The play relates the epic struggle of a Depression-era America family after the repossession of their Oklahoma farmhouse. In search of work, the Joad family pile their worldly possessions on to an old truck and follow Route 66 down to California in search of work and prosperity. However, the American dream is shattered, despite the moral integrity of the family, and they are forced into the depths of starvation and poverty.

The play employs much authentic music of the Depression period, and advertisements proclaiming the American dream’s ethos of new wealth are projected onto the backdrop of the stage, contrasting effectively with the despondent reality of the Joad family’s situation.

Grandpa Joad must be given special mention for his role as the slightly senile, lovable grandfather we all wish we had, providing much comic relief before his untimely death half an hour into the play. Damian O’Hare gives a stellar performance as Tom Joad, the headstrong idealist of the family, recently returned from prison. His deep Southern drawl is impeccable, as are the accents of others, creating a realism that pervades the play. Unfortunately this precision in accents, although present in most of the cast, is somehow lost on a few characters, the Leeds accent jarring with the authenticity elsewhere.

The first half of the play does drag a little: the scene of mental strain is firmly established, but detracts slightly from physical action on stage. However, by the second half of the play, the audience are left gripping the edges of their seats as the action adopts a harrowingly fast pace.
The result is a brilliantly acted, heart-rending tale of human dignity in the face of adversity, celebrating the strength of familial bonds, that leaves you with a profound realisation of the difficulties faced during the Great Depression.

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