“JOURNEY’S END”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 806, 29 October 1929, Page 15

“JOURNEY’S END”

HIS MAJESTY’S TOMORROW At His Majesty's Theatre tomorrow evening, J. C. Williamson, Ltd., will present their brilliant company of English artists in the now-famous drama, “Journey’s End,” which is the reigning attraction in London, New York, France, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Spain, and Portugal. During its recent season in Melbourne, “Journey’s End” broke all known records at His Majesty’s Theatre there. The remarkable success of Deo Carrillo in “Lombardi, Ltd.,” in Sydney, prevented “Journey’s End” from being staged there at present, so New Zealand is to witness it before Sydney. Students of the traditional drama, amazed at the manner in which Mr. Sherriff’s work has become the outstanding production in years, have expressed surprise that any play which did not contain a love interest could be a box office success. “But,” wrote a Melbourne critic, “who that has seen Jou'rney’s End’ will deny the existence and force of the love interest in the plot? The appeal of the play could never be so strongly exerted were it not for the audience’s knowledge that an influence in the life of Stanhope, whose nerves have been strained almost beyond endurance, is the sister of the young subaltern Raleigh. "As the plot develops, however, the influence becomes less apparent, almost ceasing to exist except as a memory in the audience’s mind, until it is rea- | lised that the hero worship of his ; company commander by young Raleigh is something passing the love of woman. Until the final curtain falls on the collapsing dugout, you do not know precisely what lias been the ; relationship between Stanhope and the . boy’s sister. You become conscious j that the strained reserve on the part of Stanhope in Raleigh’s presence may be due to his respect, if not love, for I the boy’s sister. But the thought just j hovers in your mind. There is nothing j tangible in it. It does not become j an idea in the quickly moving impres- ' ,sion you are receiving. “Olio dominant idea, however, gradu- ; ally takes mental shape. Stanhope, ! nerve-shaken and brutish in his outlook after long service, is the hero in the flesh of Raleigh’s school days. Raleigh has come to fight alongside him, and, conscious of his closeness, the young subaltern is inspired with courage. But las the fact of the war is forced upon him in its appalling reality, he begins to see his hero in a different light. This sensitive youth is being robbed at every hour of his fine illusion of boyhood. In one or two days he has exchanged the sublime illusion of a boy for the vital clearsightedness of manhood. Stanhope then takes refuge from a nightmare of war memories in dulling his senses with drink, and it is not till Raleigh is brought down to him wounded that the full meaning of ‘Journey's End’ is forced home.” The company arrived by the Ulimaroa this morning, and a . full scenic and lighting rehearsal will take place this evening, under the direction of the stage manager. Seats in central positions may be selected at Lewis Eady's for the opening and subsequent performances of “Journey’s End.”