New stage production of Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful tours to Bath’s Theatre Royal

A new staging of Michael Morpurgo’s award-winning novel, Private Peaceful, adapted by Simon Reade and featuring an ensemble cast directed by Elle While, tours to the Theatre Royal Bath from Tuesday 12^th to Saturday 16^th April.

Set in rural Devon and the battlefields of northern France, Private Peaceful follows the Peaceful brothers, Tommo and Charlie, whose tough rural childhood, framed by the loss of their father, forges an irrevocable sibling loyalty. Until one day they both fall for the same girl, and then the First World War comes. In the trenches, 18-year-old Private Tommo Peaceful takes audiences on a journey through his most cherished memories as he tells his story of courage, devotion, family and friendship.

First published in 2003, Private Peaceful was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and won the Red House Children’s Book Award and the Blue Peter Book Award. Acknowledged by Michael Morpurgo (War Horse, The Butterfly Lion) as his favourite work, this thrilling new ensemble retelling by Simon Reade explores the lengths a young soldier will go to, to fight for what is right.

Writer Sir Michael Morpurgo, said: “Young men and young women who grew up just like Private Peaceful, at home, safe with their families, went off in their millions to the battlefields of the First World War from all over the world. What followed was universal human suffering on a scale never witnessed in human history before. The universality of the tragedy disguises all too easily that each one of those who went was a son or a daughter, loved and so often, lost. Private Peaceful was one of those. It’s so important to me, and not because I wrote the story, that his story and the story of all the others, is told and told again. It’s wonderful to me that through this extraordinary play, the story is being told in theatres all over this country.”

Director Elle While, said: “I am so delighted to bring this extraordinarily talented team together to fully realise this powerful new adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's classic story of love, loss and loyalty. We cannot wait to share this production, which relishes in the power of theatrical storytelling, with live audiences throughout the UK.”

The cast includes Daniel Boyd as Charlie; John Dougall as Father, Colonel and Chaplain; Robert Ewens as Big Joe; Tom Kanji as Munnings, Doctor and Grandma Wolf; Emma Manton as Miss McAllister; Daniel Rainford as Thomas “Tommo” Peaceful, and Liyah Summers as Molly. Other parts are played by members of the cast, and Abigail Hood is understudy.

Private Peaceful is a Nottingham Playhouse production and produced on tour by Jonathan Church Theatre Productions. It is directed by Elle While, with design by Lucy Sierra, lighting design by Matt Haskins, sound design by Dan Balfour and movement direction by Neil Bettles. Fight direction is by Jonathan Holby. The composer is Frank Moon.

Private Peaceful appears at the Theatre Royal Bath from Tuesday 12^th to Saturday 16^th April. To book tickets contact the Box Office on 01225 448844 or book online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk