A briskly directed and emotionally engaging production of Michael Morpugo’s much loved novel, set before and during the First World War.
30 March 2022
Given that this site only reviews London theatre, the question arises as to whether the 600-seat Beck Theatre is actually even in London. The postcode says Uxbridge but technically as Hayes sits within the London Borough of Hillingdon, it counts. Plus, if Londoners want to catch this UK touring production of Private Peaceful, Simon Reade’s robust adaptation of Michael Morpugo’s award-winning 2003 novel, it is either here or Bromley.
Directed at a lively pace by Elle White, the story begins with the guilty verdict of a court-marshal for ‘cowardice in the face of the enemy’ ringing in the ears of the supine figure of Private Tommo Peaceful.
It is pretty clear what the punishment for this kind of wartime spinelessness is going to be and why Tommo is so fearfully counting down the hours to that 6am appointment with the firing squad. The guts of the story – what brought Tommo to this dire situation, and what happens at dawn – is told in flashback, each act beginning with Tommo’s watch, a gift from his brother, ‘slicing down the seconds’ to the resolution.
Tommo’s backstory, growing up in rural Devon with mum, brother’s Charlie and big Jo, neighbouring farm-girl molly, and various local relatives, worthies and neighbours is efficiently laid-out by the ensemble of eight. Tommo cannot forgive himself for freezing when his father tries to save him from a falling tree. That lack of courage, which cost his father’s life, has a life-changing impact on how Tommo behaves when war breaks out.
Come 1914, Tommo and Charlie sign-up and the two Private Peacefuls are soon in the same regiment and in the thick of the action. Back home Molly is pregnant with Charlie’s baby. Charlie gets wounded in an act of daring. Despite his best intentions, Tommo just cannot show the kind of battlefield courage, a failure that is going to cost someone their life.
Most of the audience members I talked to had read the book or seen the film, but the twist in the tail of the story was satisfyingly new to me, being both touching and effectively camouflaged.
The staging – corrugated iron sloping upstage towards a smoky sunset backdrop, framed by twisted hanging wire – effectively communicates both rural Devon and the desolate shell-holes and trenches of the battlefield. The acting ensemble of eight works well together, with Daniel Rainford as Tommo and Daniel Boyd as Charlie particularly hard-working.
Definitely worth the trip out to the Beck in Hayes.
Duration: 2 hours 5 mins, one interval.
Writer Simon Reade (adapted from Michael Morpurgo)
Director Elle While
Cast
Full Disclosure: Ticket from Central Tickets
