Private Peaceful

The Critically Acclaimed Play Returns To The Stage

After a brief pause due to the national lockdown, the much-admired play Peaceful Private has announced its return to the West End stages for a limited season run. Based on Michael Morpurgo’s novel Private Peaceful, the show was first adapted for the stage in 2004. Since then, it has received huge appreciation from both critics and audiences alike. The powerful narrative of the story, depicting the horrors of the First World War, along with the brilliant performances of the actors, has made the performance a blockbuster in London’s theatrical scene, as well as its national tours. The producers of the show announced that the show will soon open once again in Garrick Theatre, complying with UK Theatre and SOLT’s “See It safely” principles. To maintain the safety and protection of the audience, a limited number of Private Peaceful tickets will be released for the upcoming shows.

A Moving Love Story

From the author of the best-selling novel War Horse, Private Peaceful is another masterpiece that narrates the horrors of war, loss, courage, and disdain set in the context of the First World War. But above all, this is a story of love. It is the tale of Tommo Peaceful, an 18-year old boy waiting for his last moments before facing the firing squad in the morning. Instead of lamenting for his loss, he is determined to relive the joys of his short-lived life, and to feel alive, he looks back on his simple, peaceful life at Devon where he grew up in the quaint countryside, his school days, the accidental death of his father, and above all, his golden days with Molly, his best friend and love of life. He contemplates the events that made him the person he is now and eventually brought him to the front line of the horrible war. He thinks of all the injustices and battles he fought throughout his life.

The story concludes on a stirring note, leaving the audience with a heart-breaking but poignant ending. Instead of giving any more spoilers, we would recommend you to get your Private Peaceful tickets to find out the beautiful ending of the story.

An Unforgettable Performance

Simon Reade adopted the classic novel and brought it on stage with a powerful cast and crew. It is directed by Alexander Knott with the assistance of Zoe Grain. Sound designer Harry Smith and light designer Sam Rowcliffe-Tanner also did an excellent job in creating the First World War ambience. However, the star attraction of the performance is the actors. The titular role of Tommo Peaceful will be played by Emily Costello. It is the first time that a female actor is playing the character. The author Morpurgo himself described her performance as ‘extraordinary’. James Damien plays the role of Tommo’s brother Charlie and various other characters. But Costello steals the show by all means. If you love a deep, heart-stirring story, then Private Peaceful tickets are meant for you. It is arguably the most profound and moving story on the West End stage.