Private Peaceful plays to the heart

By E.L.Hardy

Private Tommo Peaceful, brother of Private Charlie Peaceful, is waiting. Counting down the minutes until the end. To kill the time and distract from the injustices of war, his short life - a childhood in Devon - passes before his, and our, eyes.

Michael Morpurgo, former children's Laureate and author of the much loved War Horse, once again claws at our hearts with a story of war - this time told not from the perspective of an animal, but that of a child. Adapted for stage and directed by Simon Reade, the character of Tommo is brought to life here by Andy Daniel.

Daniel single handedly lifts the story from the page with unwavering focus and boundless enthusiasm, virtually singing each line in his broad Devonshire accent. Not a single word was lost despite the echoing hall and Daniel frequently having to pelt it around the stage, reliving his days at school, recounting the terrors of war. The result is an intense 75 minutes of theatre. Morpurgo's present tense, coupled with Daniel's energy, lends an immediacy to each passing episode. It is impossible not to relive the sad story of childhood and love and war with him.

PS in short: Private Peaceful is not the chirpiest or or flashiest show at the fringe. This simple, beautifully performed, one-man adaptation is an example of story telling at its best. It will resonate with me for a long time to come.

★★★★ #UNBORING

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