Argue the case that “Journey’s End” is still worthy of being staged today.
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... then shoot! You won't let me go to hospital. I swear I'll never go in those trenches again! Shoot!". This is a very good example of dramatic tension in the play, as the audience is left in suspense to see if Stanhope actually does shoot him. He counts down "10…5", the anticipation is building and finally reaches its peak, until Stanhope congratulates Hibbert "Good man, Hibbert. I liked the way that you stuck that". In this scene R.C Sherriff lets his audience see what he thought of deserters. It is very thrilling, yet at the same time, it is very emotive. The audience in 1928 would have recognised Hibbert as a deserter and their pity for him would be reduced, yet at the same time they would possibly have sympathy, as they would now realise what war has done to Hibbert, and he can't take any more waiting to see if he will die, and he is even prepared to be shot rather than go "over the top" and risk being killed by the Germans.
Another dramatically tense moment in the play is when Osborne and Raleigh have been chosen to go "over the top" to raid the German trench for a prisoner. Raleigh as usual is in high spirits and is very excited about the attack. Osborne however is more understanding to the situation and does not underestimate the task ahead. He leaves his ring behind "…in case anything should happen" so that Stanhope can pass it on to his wife. The audience would feel very uneasy now ...
