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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
Journey’s End
Verdict: Strong war-time drama
Journey’s End follows the day-to-day existence of British soldiers in the trenches during World War 1 as they await a major German attack. There's fear, boredom - and bad food.
21-year-old Captain Stanhope (Angus Murray) - at the front for a year - has seen many good men die. He returns to his bunker to find his second-in-command Osborne (Rory Kilalea) talking with innocent and keen Raleigh (Harry Palmer) - who he knew at school.
Stanhope is disturbed by Raleigh's arrival. He's reminded of home and his girlfriend - Raleigh’s sister - and treats Raleigh with indifference. Although Osborne had warned Raleigh that Stanhope had changed, Raleigh finds it hard to understand why Stanhope treats him with such contempt. He's also surprised that being so close to the front line is not all chaos, bloodshed and fighting.
Each character deals with the horror and the endless boredom in a different way.
Mason (Tom Taylor), the cook, tries dsperately to conjure-up inventive menus. He has only meagre rations; his jolly banter adds humour to the depressing atmosphere in the bunker.
Osborne was a teacher; he's called Uncle by all the officers - reflecting his calming influence. He tucks the men up and reads them extracts from Alice in Wonderland.
The rotund Trotter (Tim Sullivan) eats his way through every scene, and passes time writing letters to his wife. Hibbert (David Marshall) is a coward who tries to get himself sent back down the line for sickness - Stanhope is brutal in dealing with the 'worm'. But Stanhope suffers most. He can only get through the days and nights by drinking whisky.
There are fine performances from the strong cast. Angus Murray and Harry Palmer are outstanding - particularly in the scene where Raleigh returns from a mission in which an officer is killed.
It's a riveting piece of drama, sympathetically directed. Visuals, lighting and sound excel. Smoke fills the dug-out in one scene. Design and set are outstandinly adventurous. The cramped conditions of trench life are creatively evoked, down to the mud-splattered uniforms. Journey's End is poignant and sad, but doesn't dwell on the awfulness of war. The spirit of the men is lightened with humour and compassion; and above all, their determination.
Cast Credits (alpha order): Nick Gambier - The Colonel. Rory Kilalea - Osborne. David Marshall - Hibbert. David Moore - The Sergeant-Major. Angus Murray - Stanhope. Harry Palmer – Raleigh. Tom Rose - German Soldier. Tim Sullivan - Trotter. Mike Symons - Hardy. Tom Taylor - Mason.
Company Credits: Writer - RC Sherriff. Director - John Haigh. Producer - Tom Taylor. Lighting / Sound / Special Effects - Mark Holbert. Set Design - John Haigh. Set Construction - The Cast. Company - Sundown Theatre.
END
(c) Lea Harris 2004
reviewed Tuesday 10 August 2004 / Assembly @ St George's West
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
