Journey's End

Journey's End is a play that is supposed to make you feel involved with the characters, and understand the camaraderie that is experienced in these extraordinary circumstances. The actors did not seem to have any connection to one another, or understand enough about the way in which war brings men together to actually love one another, to pull off any kind of performance that could be considered worthwhile.

I did not read Journey's End when at school, instead opting for The Importance of Being Ernest. While I love Oscar Wilde and Lady Bracknell's insistence that her daughter not marry a piece of baggage, I feel, having now seen Journey's End, I did miss out on studying a powerful piece of literature. I knew that the play concerned life in the trenches in the First World War, and therefore would probably be very moving. I was not wrong. I spent most of the second act in tears. This was obviously due to the content and themes, but also due to the superb acting, particularly of Osborne (Michael Siberry), more affectionately known in the play as "Uncle".

However, I am getting ahead of myself. I was very nearly in tears before the play began due to the restrictive nature of my lovely, but tight, pencil skirt. This didn't allow me to walk very quickly, so I sent on ahead my (delightful but geopositionally challenged) companion to collect the tickets. Imagine my surprise when I arrived at the theatre and he was nowhere to be found. A quick phone call ascertained that he had got lost on Shaftesbury Avenue. However, this did not detract from our enjoyment of the play, as we both made it to our seats.

The theatre was charming and just right for such a play. The set was simple and effective (almost like my companion), and stood up well to the very physical first entrance of Captain Stanhope (Ben Righton), who threw himself down the stairs into the Officers' quarters, and spent much of the play throwing himself around the stage. This just added to the tension, claustrophobia and downright fear that was very eloquently portrayed by these actors. Young officer Jimmy Raleigh (Tom Payne) is posted to old school buddy Stanhope's company and is quickly introduced to the horrors of war. You forget that he has only been on the front line for three days before he has to conduct a raid. The futility of it all is highlighted with the capture of one "Bosch" and three measly bits of information, for the lives of one officer and four soldiers. The Brigadier was very pleased, so that was OK then. The lead up to this part of the play was incredibly powerful and moving, with the keen youth of Rawley offset by the amazing self-possession and perception of the older Osborne. Incidentally, Osborne played rugby for Harlequins and England, so obviously was a spiffing chap. The coward officer, Hibbert, was played very well by the suitably sleazy Jake Harders, and Mason and Trotter provided well-needed light relief with moments of trench humour as the "more common" cook and regular Sergeant. I only very briefly thought of Blackadder Goes Fourth at one point, when Mason did sound very like Baldrick. In fact, I can only imagine that Rowan Atkinson based many of his characters on those in this play.

I rarely get totally moved by the theatre (aside from two near spiritual experiences watching the opera Madame Butterfly and the ballet Swan Lake, both at Covent Garden); I always somehow know that I am watching a play with actors. However, with this production of Journey's End, I was totally gripped and very often "lost" in the moment, and was totally made to care what happened to these young boys and men. Consequently, I became very adept at hiding my sniffles from my companion, and I just hoped that my mascara hadn't run down my face. I shouldn't have bothered as my companion admitted to shedding tears too, but luckily he had no mascara to worry about.