Give Peaceful A Chance

Published in 2003, and described as a novel for older children, Michael Morpurgo struck a deep chord with Private Peaceful.

Centred on a soldier by the name of Thomas ‘Tommo’ Peaceful, the young private looks back on his life down the trenches during World War 1, and the futility of one nation trying to kill another.

Morpurgo had been here before, with his hugely successful 1982 novel, War Horse, and once again, the West End, and Hollywood, took notice. A year after Private Peaceful hit the book shelves, it was adapted for the stage by Simon Reade, making its debut at the Bristol Old Vic in 2004. A few years later, Irish director Pat O’Connor was behind the camera for the inevitable big-screen adaptation, released in October 2012.

As with War Horse, Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful continues to garner new fans year by year, and you can find out just why when Simon Reade’s stage adaptation comes to The Whale with a vital young cast. Prepare to be heartbroken…