Journey’s End

This fascinating 1928 play chronicling Sherriff’s wartime experience showcases the emotions of British officers in the trenches of World War I. With the sound of bombs and gunfire in the distance, the opening sees the officers come and go from their dugout, as they talk about life on the battlefield. Each officer reveals how he copes; all use a snappy, proper British accent. Capt. Hardy (voiced by Matthew Wolf) jokes, while Lt. Osborne (Adam Godley) defends the men. Idealistic 2nd Lt. Raleigh (Josh Cole) seeks his friend (also his sister’s beau) Capt. Stanhope (Jack Cutmore-Scott), a man broken by war. Second Lt. Trotter (Simon Templeman) thinks of the past, while Lt. Hibbert (James Callis) despairs. The company cook, Mason (Darren Richardson, with a charming cockney accent) adds lightness, while cameos of a frightened German POW and English messenger (both voiced by Tobias Echeverria) fill in details. When the colonel (Ian Ogilvy) orders a dangerous daytime attack, the worst possible results occur. The rapid-fire dialogue and small differences among the voices make it difficult to follow along with the action as an audio, and a slower recording may have been better for listeners.