Mesmerising Of Mice and Men: live theatre at its best

This is exactly what the NT Live series hoped to achieve and has succeeded immensely with screenings in over 2000 cinemas across the UK and around the world, as well as at Cinema Nouveau theatres in Joburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town.

Now celebrating its fifth year, National Theatre Live's recent broadcasts have included: Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller in Frankenstein, directed by Danny Boyle; Rory Kinnear in Shakespeare's Hamlet; Adrian Lester and Kinnear in Shakespeare's Othello; and productions from outside the National Theatre, including Shakespeare's Macbeth with Kenneth Branagh and Alex Kingston from the Manchester International Festival, Tom Hiddleston in the Donmar Warehouse production of Coriolanus and the record-breaking West End production of The Audience, starring Helen Mirren as the Queen and, most recently, the award-winning original West End production of War Horse.

The best theatre in the world

The 2014 season afforded theatre-goers and discerning movie buffs to join forces and experience the best theatre in the world, sharing the fun of Shakespeare's Two Gentleman of Verona, Tennessee Williams' mind-blowing A Streetcar Named Desire, David Hare's triumphant Skylight, and now the critically acclaimed Broadway production of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, which was filmed at Broadway's Longacre Theatre in front of a live audience a few months ago.

Nominated for two 2014 Tony Awards, Of Mice and Men shattered the house record at the Longacre Theatre multiple times during its limited 19-week engagement, grossing over a million dollars in its final week. This was the first time any show grossed $1 million in one week at the Longacre Theatre, as Of Mice and Men became the first 'hit' of the spring 2014 Broadway season.

Although it's a classic tale it is best to not know too much about the story as it might spoil the riveting Second Act.

What makes this theatre-going experience unique is that you feel as if you are sitting in the theatre with an audience and share in their joy and tears. The tension is palpable as the characters do their best to find hope and happiness in a world filled with despair and gloom.

It is understandable why this landmark revival of Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck's play Of Mice And Men has captured the hearts of people worldwide for 87 years. It's a powerful portrait of the American spirit and a heartbreaking testament to the bonds of friendship.

An equally brilliant Chris O'Dowd

James Franco is superb with his solid performance of George, well supported by an equally brilliant Chris O'Dowd as Lennie, an unlikely pair of friends drifting from job to job across the farms and fields of California, holding fast to their dream of one day having an acre of land they can call their own. Other great performances are delivered by Alex Morf as the slimy Curley, with Leighton Meester as his wife, and Jim Parrack as the trusting Slim.

It is splendidly directed by Tony Award winner Anna D Shapiro (Broadway's August: Osage County), who pulls no punches in her savage take on this American classic.

After the intermission there's a magnificent interview with Shapiro in a solicitous documentary in which she explains her affection for the play, and how her role as mother as allowed her to bond with characters who have to rely on each other for survival.

The short documentary also gives insight into migrant farmhands in Depression-era California, as well as insightful observations from Franco and O'Dowd about the tragic fate that befalls their broken characters.

The world of Of Mice and Men is wonderfully realised with scenic design by Tony Award winner Todd Rosenthal, costume design by the international, Emmy Award-winning designer of the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony, Suttirat Larlarb, lighting design by 2014 Tony Award nominee Japhy Weideman, sound design by Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen, and original music by David Singer.

This is a live theatre experience you simply cannot miss.

If you are looking for first-rate theatre and want to experience it in the luxury of a cinema with the full HD digital experience, there will be six screenings of Of Mice and Men at Cinema Nouveau theatres in Joburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town: 6 December at 5pm; 7 December at 2.30pm; 9 December at 11.30am; 16 December at 5pm; 17 December at 11.30am; and 18 December at 5.30pm.

The running time of this production is 2hrs 30mins, including a 20-minute interval.

For booking information on Of Mice and Men, download the Ster-Kinekor App on any Nokia, Samsung Android, iPhone or Blackberry smart phone for updates, news and to make a booking, go to www.cinemanouveau.co.za or sterkinekor.mob. Follow us on Twitter @nouveaubuzz and on Facebook at Cinema Nouveau. For queries, contact Ticketline on 0861 Movies (668 437). The loyalty club discounts and benefits for cardholders of the SK Club, Discovery Vitality and Edgars Club, apply for all National Theatre Live productions.

For more live theatre on the big screen, go to www.writingstudio.co.za