The core focus of the play, however, is the horrors of war: the unbearable conditions soldiers endured, the desperate strategies for victory, and the devastation of trench warfare. Poison gas, vast fields of barbed wire, and relentless artillery bombardments were just some of the obstacles they faced. One of the more “successful” military tactics involved miners digging tunnels beneath German trenches, filling them with explosives to annihilate enemy forces. Aware of this strategy, the Germans countered by digging their own tunnels to intercept and kill British sappers.

Throughout the play, soldiers reflect on their lives, fully resigned to their impending deaths. Their only tenuous connection to humanity comes through letters to and from home, sometimes bearing unwelcome news. Under the direction of Alistair Whatley, with stage design by Richard Kent, the production uses a simple but effective set. The harrowing moment of “going over the top” is well executed, with actors climbing ladders into the dimly lit background. The tunnels, a central part of the story, are represented by a large timber beam lowered to force the actors to crawl beneath it, while smoke and deafening artillery explosions enhance the atmosphere. One particularly striking moment comes when Stephen, presumed dead, is thrown into a burial pit, only to stir at the last moment.