Private Peaceful, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Andy Daniel.

How would you spend the final few hours of your life if you had been labelled a coward after a hearing that would have lasted less than an hour, placed in a cell by yourself and far from home? Would you kick and scream, raging against a world that was off kilter to your actions and perception or would you spend it in isolation with your thoughts, all moments of transitory life flashing before you and the memories of happy times keeping you company till the dawn awoke in time to see you die?

For one young soldier, a boy dressed as a man, the option is easy, for those watching Private Peaceful at The Playhouse as it makes it way on a national tour, the sound of a young man reliving all his actions in the final few hours  is nothing but heart breaking, the constant reminder that the war to end all wars was nothing but a shocking lie and those caught up in it were at the mercy of not just an enemy bullet but also a gunshot from one of their own if they were deemed to be fleeing in the face of the enemy, not obeying orders like marching towards the enemy very slowly whilst bullets and bombs ricocheted around them.

As the world approaches the 100th anniversary of the start of World War One, those that have only recently been pardoned for having the affront to be terrified, for acting like true human beings in the face of carnage and madness, it is always worth remembering even one life before they put on khaki and joined the ranks on the front lines of the war raging in Europe.

For Private Tommo Peaceful, played with incredible depth and humanity by Andy Daniel, his life has been one that has been filled with memories of his father dying as he saved his son from a falling tree, the girl that both he and his brother loved, the nature of his school days and the events that led up to him signing up. These memories were played out by Mr. Daniel with grace and respect to the memories of millions of people who died needlessly, the emotion on his face was etched as if with pain had been visited upon the young actors face, mirroring perfectly the black and white imagery of an event that should be forgotten.

Simon Reade’s adaption of Michael Morpurgo’s outstanding book was beautifully played out from start to finish, sharp and tastefully acted, a true piece of theatre brilliance.

Ian D. Hall