Journey's End

Synopsis

Set in the First World War, Journey's End concerns the lives of a group of British officers on the front line and opens in a dugout in the trenches of France. Raleigh, a new eighteen-year-old officer fresh out of English public school, joins the besieged company of his friend and cricketing hero Stanhope, and finds him dramatically changed...

Our Review:

9 March 2011

David Grindley's touring production of RC Sherriff’s Journey's End is a triple threat - well directed, well designed and well acted.

Set in the trenches at Aisne towards the end of the immensely futile First World War, it gives a glimpse into the lives of a set of army officers in the days before the Germans launched their Spring Offensive, which saw tens of thousands of British soldiers die.

Sound and lighting from Gregory Clarke and Jason Taylor respectively set the trench mood wonderfully, with the former particularly effective at the very end of the play, where its use shocks and upsets in quick succession.

In his portrayal of Stanhope, James Norton is exquisite as a too-young man thrust into a situation he cannot really cope with, forced into blaming himself for the appearance of his younger, hero-worshipping friend, made to confront how much the war has changed him. He conveys perfectly the barely suppressed despair...

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Latest User Review

R.M - 17 March 2011:

I saw this brilliant production with my school last week, and it was simply superb. Graham Butler and James Norton really excelled in this masterpiece of drama. At first, I thought that the non-changing set would be quite limiting to the piece, but the masterful acting of the company knew no bounds, moving nearly all of the audience to tears. I would recommend this to anyone, and I think that the actors really deserve their due credit....

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