Private Peaceful
Theatre Royal Bath
MICHAEL Morpurgo’s impassioned cry against the futility of war, and the harshness of front-line courtmartials that condemned 306 British soldiers accused of cowardice and desertion during World War I, started life as a short story, then became a one-man play and now appears as a full-blown play.
In this version, adaptor Simon Reade uses seven actors to portray the 40 characters who take us through the life stories of Tommo and Charlie Peaceful, from childhood on a Devon farm to the horrors of the trenches, with one of them awaiting a firing squad, as his action of saving his brother rather than throwing his life away on a useless frontal attack on the German trenches is interpreted as an act of cowardice.
As Tommo counts down the time to the six o’clock execution, we go back in time to the harsh treatment the family encountered from an unfeeling landlord, when their farm labouring father is killed by a falling tree, via the bullying NCO who trains them after – swept along on a wave of patriotism – they join the Army, leading to the injustice of the farcical court-martial.
Director Elle While makes excellent use of Lucy Sierra’s cleverly
designed all-purpose set, which with expert lighting and sound effects, serves equally well as a Devon farm and schoolroom, or the cold, wet trenches of World War I.
Daniel Rainford (Tommo) and Daniel Boyd (Charlie) never lose the honesty and simplicity of the brothers, whose only ambition is to live up to their name and live a peaceful life, as part of a loving family in their beloved Devon.
Buffeted and bruised by the dishonest people they encounter, they cling onto the belief that what they are fighting for is to safeguard their home and family life against an evil horde and injustice.
The great injustice brought under a harsh spotlight here is that of men, most of whom were suffering from battle fatigue and strain, who were shot for cowardice or desertion by those in authority frightened that they would lose control of the illinformed troops if they showed any sympathy.
It took 90 years, until 2006, before the injustices and stupidity of those farcical front-line court-martials was reversed and pardons were granted posthumously to those executed.
Running through the story like the name in a stick of rock is the hand of the author Michael Morpurgo. Without indulging in any histrionics or wild tub-thumping, he condemns the futility of conflict of any kind and the stupidity of those in authority hidebound by petty rules and regulations, and frightened to death that any challenge to that authority will leave them vulnerable.