Of Curs and Candy
Local dog cast in Of Mice and Men
Local dog, Tara, has been cast in the role of Candy’s Dog when the tour of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men arrives at the King’s in April.
Tara will be playing alongside Dudley Sutton, who is best known from TV shows Porridge and Lovejoy, in the role of Candy, the old-time farmhand in the bunkhouse where itinerant farm workers George and Lennie fetch up.
Tara who will play Curly’s Dog in Of Mice and Men. Photo: Greg Macvean
Over 35 dogs took part in the casting earlier this week, following a highly successful casting call. Tara, aged 10 and a rescue dog from Hungary who is a mix of Hungarian hunting dog and German Shepherd, was signed up to be senior working dog on the show.
Casting director Matthew Gale said: “We’ve had a fantastic turnout of really wonderfully behaved dogs. It was extremely difficult to choose between them, and in the end, one could not ignore Tara’s star presence and temperament.”
Candy and his dog play a significant role in the play. With one hand chopped off in a farming accident and old beyond being truly useful to the farm, Candy’s treatment symbolises the way that America has come to treat its old people.
His dog is similarly decrepit and the source of much irritation for the more unfeeling farmhands in the bunkhouse who fail to understand his importance to Candy and only smell his bad breath. While her fate has an important foreshadowing role in the structure of the script.
Speaking of Tara’s casting her owner, 28 year-old Lydia Gschosmann, said she was: “So shocked that she’s been chosen. There were so many great dogs. We’ve never had stage aspirations, but this is brilliant. She’s going to meet so many new friends!”
Listing
Of Mice and Men
King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street EH3 9LQ
Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 April 2016
Evenings: 7.30pm; Weds, Sat matinee: 2.30pm
Tickets and details: http://www.edtheatres.com/miceandmen
ENDS
