Private Peaceful – Harrogate Theatre

Writer: Michael Morpurgo

Adaptor and Director: Simon Reade

A man lies waiting on the stage, before a painted backdrop with blasted tree stumps and an eerie red glow in the sky. Lying on top of a flimsy field bed, the eponymous Private Peaceful awaits his fate – and he knows what’s coming.

Michael Morpurgo’s deeply affecting novel, Private Peaceful, adapted for stage by Simon Reade, who also directs this production, tells the story of a soldier of the Great War, Tommo. Tommo and his beloved brother, Charlie, join up together, are trained under the brutal command of Sergeant Hanley and then are sent to the front to fight, together.

This is more than a wartime recollection; it’s a life story and Benjamin Cain’s portrayal of this soldier is little short of astounding. With hours to kill before dawn and whatever that will bring, Tommo is recalling the significant events of his life: his first day at school, meeting Molly, the death of his father, starting work at a farm with Charlie.  Each story is told with brilliant characterisation by Cain: the infant Tommo is endearing and vulnerable as he walks tremulously to school, whilst he gives Charlie the recognisable swagger of an eight-year-old. When Molly comes on to the scene, first as a friendly face at school and later as the object of both brothers’ early affections, there is another clear shift as Cain shows their tentative flirtations and innocent longings. Cain moves as he speaks, with great fluency and confidence, leaping almost balletically between characters and scenes and filling the stage with action in a way which would seem almost impossible as a solo actor.

Each childhood scene is set against the same backdrop – that of the lonely billet – as time relentlessly ticks away and once Tommo is recounting his most recent history, in war wracked Belgium, it really gathers momentum. The battlefield scenes are visceral: Cain’s story telling bringing the textures, sounds, smells and terrors so vividly to life as to be almost unbearable.  And yet there is tenderness here too – the moments of comfort found in the camaraderie of the estaminet being just enough to off-set the horror of the front line, if only very briefly.

Simon Reade’s direction has allowed Benjamin Cain’s performance to sing – nay – bellow – with such authenticity as to make this one man show totally riveting.

Runs until 26th September 2026, before continuing on tour