Oct 23, 20232 min read

10 Years Since 'From Here To Eternity' Officially Opened In the West End

On this day in 2013 'From Here To Eternity' had its official Press Night and world premiere.

In autumn 2013 Darius returned to the West End stage in a new musical version of 'From Here To Eternity' by Stuart Brayson and Sir Tim Rice. He became the first actor to bring the role of Milt Warden to the stage.

Darius' casting was announced in July 2013 and the musical began previews in the West End on 30th September 2013. It had its opening night and world premiere on 23rd October 2013, at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London. The production closed on 29 March 2014, after a run of six and a half months. The musical developed somewhat of a cult following and shortly after it closed, it was ranked at number 17 in the What’s On Stage Top 100 Musicals of All Time.

The basis of the musical is the 1951 novel From Here to Eternity by James Jones. In 1941, Jones was serving with the US Army in Hawaii, at the time of Pearl Harbor, and the novel was loosely based on his experience in the 27th Infantry Regiment. It focuses on the lives of a group of soldiers in the months leading up to the attack, in particular Private Prewitt, a boxer who no longer wants to fight having blinded an opponent, and Sergeant Milt Warden, who has an affair with the wife of his commanding officer.

See some photos of Darius on stage during the curtain call on Press Night below:

Talking about his character, Warden, Darius told What's On Stage: "Warden is like an oak tree. He's solid and he's unshakeable in the face of whatever weather befalls him. He's very rooted in strong principles, he's a noble leader of men. And he's been hurt in the past so has not allowed himself to fall in love. But then he meets Karen, the wife of his Captain, and they engage in an illicit affair. It's a big risk because if it's uncovered Warden faces 20 years in prison."

He also explained how he prepared for the role saying :"I spoke to my great uncle who fought in the Second World War, and I was also lucky enough to meet some veterans of the Battle of Britain. There was a sense that these incredible events that they saw and took part in were ordinary to them. Their acts of courage and bravery seem extraordinary to us now, but these were just everyday men with incredible principles who were willing to lay down their lives for their comrades."

See some photos of Darius at the Press Night party below: