CityLife

Journey's End @ The Lowry

WAR is still much in the news at the moment and R C Sherriff's powerful evocation of life in the trenches during First World War is a timely reminder of the lives lost in a battle in which 38,000 men were killed.

Written from Sherriff's personal experience in the trenches, David Grindley's powerful production has a searing truthfulness about it, largely because of some excellent performances from a sterling cast.

Playing the gentlemanly Osborne is that fine actor Philip Franks, who is a familiar face from television series like Darling Buds Of May and Heartbeat.

Tom Wisdom, from Mile High and Coronation Street, plays the coveted role of Stanhope, the young officer teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

St Quentin

As they, and their comrades, huddle together in the trenches at St Quentin, prior to the raid across No Man's Land, their extraordinary fortitude, humour and humanity in the face of certain death are both admirable and totally humbling.

These are ordinary men in extraordinary circumstances and there is a lesson for all of us in this production, which marks the 75th anniversary of this poignant drama.

Journey's End comes to The Lowry after its critical success in the West End, and, if you see nothing else this year, see this remarkable play.

Journeyés End is on at The Lowry until Saturday, October 2. Tickets are priced é10 - é20. Call 0870 787 5793.

* You can read an interview with Philip Franks below.