THEATRE ROYAL.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19787, 27 November 1929, Page 9

THEATRE ROYAL.

The number of peoy'e who do not believe in war stories, who "can't stand serious and •ad ending*, ' and who do not like the bother of thinking, when at the theatre, mast be diminishing very rapidly if the first-night audience at the Theatre Koyal on Saturday wa* any criterion. "Journey s Knd" was attended by a very large audience, and it ta serious, sad in ending, and contain] a tremendous amount to tnir.k great virtues to recommend it —all the players are first-rate artist*, and there is only the slenderest of love themes in the plot. Those who experienced the great contest of arms found tbe piay "unpleasantly real." and no greater compliment could b« accorded to author and artnts. In addition t« beiu« obviously the comprehensive result of an acute piece of observation, restrained in all departments, and, at the same time very tragic, "Journey's Knd" is the theatre'! reinforcement of the arguments against war, and it is the more effective for th* reason that it ia so far removed from anything approaching propaganda. Ii concerns itself simply with limning a detailed picture of a small part of a • ceo* from the greatest tragedy of centuries, in th* way of a few hours in March, of 1918. It shows the inmost feelings of the six oScer* mainly concerned. Thers is Captain Mtaabopa, company commander, trusted and efficient, albeit, a highly strong young man, aged by his responsibilities, and warding off, by bug* doses of whisky, the terror • talking round and through him, by day and by nlcnt. The stimnlant also helps him to dull th* pangs of the "fear of showing fear." and of bringing disaster upon himself and his men by breaking down under the strain. His second in command is Captain Hardy, alack in discipline, stolid, and eu tirely unimaginative, and due f'->r leave. Hardy » relief is Osborne. a middle-aged schoolmaster, who is also Stanhope's friend and deputy. snd there is Trotter, a plumber of undaunted courage, dependability, and a real humorist. Sent wa have Hibbert, an ob ;ectioa*b!e little shirker, obscene of thought. pretending illness in order to get out of the lines, and quite unmoved by any sense of his meanness. These are the main characters. Th* play will be repeated this evening.