Private Peaceful is anything but
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Private Peaceful is anything but

Horrors of war pack a punch in this Morpurgo adaptation

Daniel Rainford & Daniel Boyd in Private Peaceful – Feb 2022 © Nottingham Playhouse (Photo Manuel Harlan)

Plays and books aimed at younger or older children always present a challenge; level of maturity vary as do the lasting effects of a particularly good piece of theatre.

This is certainly the case with Michael “War Horse” Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful; there were plenty of under-10s in the audience but I wouldn’t have been comfortable with my nine-year-old witnessing this compelling and devastating story of young men in the trenches of World War One.

Private Peaceful, Nottingham Playhouse then UK tour. Photo Manuel Harlan

See here for my review in The Stage. Reproduced with permission.

https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/private-peaceful-review-nottingham-playhouse-michael-morpurgo

Also playing:

  • Chichester Festival Theatre March 1-5
  • Churchhill Theatre, Bromley, March 8-12
  • Cambridge Arts Theatre March 14-19
  • Oxford Playhouse March 23-26
  • Beck Theatre, Hayes March 29- April 2
  • Hull Truck Theatre April 5-9
  • Theatre Royal, Bath April 12-16
  • Birmingham Rep April 19-23
  • Salisbury Playhouse April 25-30
  • Grand Theatre, Blackpool May 2-7
  • Malvern Theatre May 10-14
  • Belgrade Theatre, Coventry May 17-21
  • Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford, May 23-28
  • Wycombe Swna, May 31- June 4
  • Lyceum Theatre, Crewe, June 7-11
  • Theatre Royal, Norwich, June 14-18
  • Richmond Theatre June 20-25
  • Palace Theatre, Southend, June 28- July 2
  • Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham July 5-9.