'Your Country Needs You' proclaims the curtain of The Everyman this week with the image of the iconic First World War recruiting poster. And you need to see Journey's End, the play behind it, if you don't want to miss one of the most powerful shows around.

Brilliantly acted and so gripping I forgot at times I was watching a drama and felt real life was unfolding in front of me, Robert Cedric Sherriff's thought-provoking piece sheds light on a dark period of our recent history.

Inspired by his own experiences in 1916 and 1917, the play follows a small group of soldiers on a battlefield in France as they wait for a big attack they know is coming and plan their own assault.

From the rats and meagre rations to the broken sleep we see the harshness of life in the trenches.

But it's in the minds of the men rather than any physical hardships that this existence, from the sounds of shelling and the knowledge you're likely to die whenever you step outside, to the fear of showing you're afraid, is really shown to have its effect.

We see Captain Stanhope arm himself with whisky to get the courage he needs to lead his troops and Nick Hendrix who plays him does a fantastic job of showing his character's complex mix of workaholic ruthlessness and concealed compassion as he galvanises his men into action while battling with what we'd now label post-traumatic stress himself

And his old school mate Lieutenant Raleigh (Graham Butler) goes on a psychological journey from a naïve belief in the excitement of battle and 'topping' acts of

heroism to an all too painful realisation of the tragedy of war as he goes over the top to face the enemy.

The subject matter of Journey's End may be bleak but it's banter around the dinner table and camaraderie that get the soldiers through each day and there are therefore plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and light-hearted touches, from the tips on ear-wig racing to the jokes about the cook's creations.

With Remembrance day coming up this play feels particularly poignant and the final scene in which the stage is literally filled with the names of those who died during the Great War is a powerful and timely reminder of the extent of its losses.

But watching Journey's End with someone just back from Afghanistan is a reminder that it remains relevant today and that while nearly a century has past since the time of the trenches our journey to find better ways to solve conflicts is as far from over as it ever was.

Annabel Brittain

The cast and backstage crew of this tourning production are taking part in the Great South Run on October 30th to raise funds for The Royal British Legion. To support them visit www.justgiving.com/journeysend.