Private Peaceful

Private Peaceful

An adaptation of Morpurgo’s text, featuring characters with real depth

I was lucky enough to catch Simon Reade’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s 2003 World War I novel, Private Peaceful, last year at Chichester Festival Theatre. The Nottingham Playhouse production was an excellent ensemble effort and found comedy and pathos in equal measure, typical of many of Morpurgo’s novels. Reade manages to adapt the novel in a way that doesn’t lose any of the comradeship or brotherhood so present in Tommo and Charlie’s relationship. The fact that this version is written so that a small ensemble of six can perform the script is perhaps its most attractive element.

Just as with the novel, the play adaptation uses the passing of time, flashing back and forth between Flanders and Devon, as Tommo remembers his childhood memories, his family, and how Charlie happens to be facing the firing squad for cowardice. The play uses the clock-ticking metaphor featured in the novel chapter headings, which is a clever way to structure each scene producing a sense of the ominous hanging over the Peaceful brothers. Indeed, the character Tommo has some excellent monologues that would work well for teachers looking for speeches for their Year 9 or GCSE pupils.

The dialogue flows seamlessly, with some witty moments and fast-paced exchanges between Tommo, Charlie, Big Joe and Molly. The relationship between Molly and the two protagonists is explored effectively, but Charlie’s discussion with Tommo regarding his secret love for her is a little rushed and almost brushed over, losing the dilemma that is much more present in the original novel.

Any director looking for a play that can work for a larger number or a small group of six will find that this adaptation offers flexibility for casting. The opportunity to multi-role is also useful, offering an alternative to a Godber Bouncers or Shakers with some cast members from the original Nottingham Playhouse production playing up to 11 characters. There is also a truthful exploration of WWI, with Reade’s notes offering the explanation that ‘the play demands plumbing the depths of the dark night of the soul. This is not a play for puppets.’ Certainly, the characters that Morpurgo first created and the ones that Reade brings to life here have enough depth to create a story that goes beyond a children’s puppet show.