“JOURNEY’S END”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 807, 30 October 1929, Page 17

“JOURNEY’S END”

FIRST PERFORMANCE TONIGHT At tLis Majesty’s Theatre this evening the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management will present for the first time to playgoers of New Zealand R. C. Sherriff’s brilliantly clever and wonderfully successful comedy-drama '■Journey’s End,” which will be interpreted by artists who were specially selected by the author himself for the characters they portray. The full scenic and lighting rehearsal, which took place last evening, passed off without a single hitch, so that everything is in order for tonight’s production. Seats in central positions may be selected today at Lewis Eady's or at the doors this evening. Critics have everywhere acclaimed 'Journey’s End” a great play, mainly because it is an intensely human revelation of the lives of men who fought and died in the very heart of the Great War. It is of a noble unconscious simplicity. A critic recently wrote:—“We do not think it possible for any man or woman, however remote and negligible the war years may now seem, to come away unmoved from the brief glimpse into the rich humours, the passionate intensities, the tragic loyalties of a St. Quentin dugout in March, 1919.” When they purchased the Australian and Xew Zealand rights of “Journey’s End,” the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management spared neither time nor money in an effort to obtain the best artists for the types of characters created by the author of “Journey’s End,” and that they have been successful in their efforts has been proved by the fact that in Melbourne critics i acclaimed it as the most perfectly i acted play that had ever been staged I in that city. In the selection of artists they were assisted by Mr. R. C. Sherriff himself. I Mr. Reginald Tate, who plays the role of Captain Stanhope, is one of London’s best known dramatic stars. “His | loyalty to his men, the revelation of 1 his own fears, his ‘dressing-down’ of the ‘funky’ Hibbert, his final exit to the death-dealing trenches were,” wrote a critic, “all magnificently portrayed.” ! Mr. Vincent Lawson is said to be ! j most amusing as Lieutenant Trotter ; ! and so is Mr. John Fernside as Private Mason. Mr. Harvey Adams as Lieut- . enant Osborne, affectionately known to • his comrades as “Uncle.” scored an 1 oustanding triumph in this character in Melbourne; and Mr. Lewis Shaw, who recently played here in “Young j Woodley,” is said to be at his best in j the part of Second-Lieutenant Raleigh, j Others in the cast are Ambrose ; Flower, Alan Lawrence, Reginald j Dane, all new arrivals from England: also Reginald Wykeham, George Jennings, Redge Carey and Arthur | Stigant, jun. The play was produced by Mr. George 33. Parker. Only a limited number of performances' can be staged of “Journey’s 1 j End.” and a matinee performance will i be produced on Saturday afternoon.