Private Peaceful : A Play For A Small Ensemble
by Michael Morpurgo, Simon Reade

Name: Private Peaceful : A Play For A Small Ensemble
Brand: Michael Morpurgo
SKU: 9780573132292
Rating: 4.15 (1 reviews)

Private Peaceful : A Play For A Small Ensemble Cover

Private Peaceful : A Play For A Small Ensemble Book Cover — Private Peaceful : A Play For A Small Ensemble Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

Synopsis

The Peaceful brothers, Tommo and Charlie, have a tough rural childhood facing the death of their father, financial hardship and a cruel landlord.

Their fierce loyalty to each other pulls them through, until one day they both fall for the same girl.

And then the Great War comes.

The play tells the story of a country lad fighting a war he doesn’t understand for people he cannot respect.

We join 18-year-old Private Tommo Peaceful in the trenches as he tells us a story of courage, devotion and sibling rivalry on what may be his last night on earth.

Private Peaceful was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, won the Red House Children’s Book Award and the Blue Peter Book Award and is acknowledged by Michael Morpurgo ( War Horse , The Butterfly Lion ) to be his favourite work.

This small ensemble version by Simon Reade was commissioned by Nottingham Playhouse.

Press Reviews

"Captivating from the start..."
— Newark Advertiser

"Private Peaceful cuts to the heart of the human condition and brotherhood surrounding the deadly world of the trenches."
— WhatsOnStage

"This is another powerful piece of work by Simon Reade."
— The Reviews Hub

"This was a play that will undoubtedly have a lasting effect."
— British Theatre Guide

"Tragedy tinged with hope, this story of brotherly affection foregrounds the family stories that give this most mechanised of wars its human face."
— The Review Hub

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
DEVON	—	—	—
TOMMO Thomas Peaceful	—	—	Thomas Peaceful
CHARLIE his older brother	male	—	his older brother
BIG JOE their older brother	male	—	their older brother
JAMES PEACEFUL their father	male	—	their father
HAZEL PEACEFUL their mother	female	—	their mother
GRANDMA WOLF their mother’s aunt	female	—	their mother’s aunt
MR MUNNINGS the school master	male	—	the school master
MISS MCALLISTER Tommo’s school teacher	female	—	Tommo’s school teacher
MOLLY Charlie and Tommo’s friend	—	—	Charlie and Tommo’s friend
MRS MONKS her mother	female	—	her mother
JIMMY PARSONS Charlie’s and Tommo’s enemy	—	—	Charlie’s and Tommo’s enemy
BIGGUNS	—	—	—
TIDDLERS	—	—	—
THE COLONEL squire of Iddesleigh	—	—	squire of Iddesleigh
DOCTOR	—	—	—
PILOT	—	—	—
SERGEANT MAJOR	—	—	—
TOOTHLESS OLD LADY	—	—	—
HATHERLEIGH MARKET CROWD	—	—	—
RECRUITING SERGEANT	—	—	—
WAR	—	—	—
ARMY CHAPLAIN	—	—	—
SERGEANT ‘HORRIBLE’ HANLEY	—	—	—
BRIGADIER	—	—	—