Writes Alan Richardson,
Regrettably, the Lower School’s production of Private Peaceful at the Drama Studio this week felt especially urgent, reminding us that the individual human cost of war resonates across time and place. Adapted for the stage by Simon Reade from the novel by Michael Morpurgo, this was a courageous, thoughtful and emotionally resonant piece of theatre.
The first acknowledgement must go, as ever, to the technical team: Anay G (Divs), Yuvan N. (Divs), Krishen P. (Divs), Parth D. (Divs) and Maceo S. (4ths). Together, they crafted a world that shifted seamlessly from the warmth of the Devon countryside to the claustrophobic brutality of the trenches. Projections and stark lighting contrasts evoked first innocence, and then devastation. Sound effects were layered: birdsong dissolving into artillery fire, for instance, created an atmosphere that was at times deeply unsettling. Their precision and restraint allowed the storytelling to breathe while heightening the emotional impact of key moments.
All members of the cast shared responsibility for the role of Tommo, each carrying him through a distinct stage of his life, while also multi-rolling a host of characters from his brother Charlie to Anna, the pretty French girl he meets at the estaminet. His latent guilt about his late father was just one of the ghosts with which Tommo had to contend as he marched ever deeper towards the raging conflict at the Belgium front.
The story unfolded in sequence, beginning with Ifan B. (3rds) who established Tommo’s youthful innocence with openness and emotional transparency, capturing beautifully the simplicity of early rural life.
Ralph H. (3rds) followed with a warmly natural presence, conveying Tommo’s deep loyalty to Charlie with convincing sincerity. Nico V. (U3rds) brought energetic charm to the early camaraderie, while Josh A balanced playfulness with hints of the insecurity that quietly shadows Tommo’s childhood.
Eddie H. (U3rds) offered a graceful, grieving Tommo, while Evy A’s (U3rds) dynamic schoolboy artfully revealed the bond between the brothers. Isaq A. (4ths) evoked the bucolic delights of Rupert Brooke’s England, before the skies had begun to darken, while Hafiz N. (4ths) and Zachary G. (4ths) shared their respective excitements over the sights of Molly in the pool and an aeroplane in the sky, each providing a different kind of thrill to the nascent adolescent. Krish A. (4ths) and Devan G. (4ths) added emotional depth, allowing flickers of doubt to surface beneath outward enthusiasm.
Akshay N. (4ths) and Ed B. (4ths) communicated a believable mixture of bravado and naïveté Charlie’s relationship with Molly deepens, while in the background enlistment loomed. Choric scenes portrayed the action as it shifted toward military life, showing clear physical commitment in their portrayals of training and regimentation. Yogesh P. (4ths) and Raif N. (4ths) conveyed growing tension with focused intensity, signalling Tommo’s loss of certainty as war became reality. Theo S. (4ths) and Akhil R. (4ths) impressed with grounded performances on the cusp of battle, with the 16-year-old Tommo joining up alongside his brother without a thought to the consequences, which will not be realised fully until the poets render the battle in all its depravity and wickedness.
Daniel Z. (U3rds) and Jayron S. (4ths) handled some of the production’s most demanding dramatic moments with admirable control, sustaining emotional truth through scenes of confrontation and injustice. Rishi K. (4ths) deepened the sombre tone, his portrayal marked by physical stillness and thoughtful pacing, while Sami M. (4ths) brought both anger and bitterness, but also much needed comic relief and tenderness in his skilfully sketched Anna. Ethan D. (3rds) and Abbas S. (4ths) gave particularly affecting interpretations in the later stages, where innocence has all but drained away. Albie L’s (3rds) Tommo was a revelation: a young man matured by war and certain of his moral perspective in the face of cowardly and embittered superior officers. The ensemble ensured the final descent toward tragedy felt inevitable and painfully human, maintaining sincerity and restraint to the end.
Leo M. (U3rds) appeared throughout and served as the production’s emotional anchor. His measured, composed narration linked the episodes with clarity and quiet authority. Leo’s stillness gave weight to the unfolding events, and his control in the closing moments ensured the tragedy landed with dignity rather than sentimentality. This felt not like one boy’s story, but that of a generation.
Savio Gimmi’s set design provided a flexible, symbolic playing space that supported swift transitions and allowed the tableaux to speak eloquently. The direction demonstrated careful control of pace and tone; pastoral scenes felt genuinely warm, making the starkness of the trenches all the more harrowing. The young company were trusted with difficult material, while they repaid that trust with commitment and honesty.
Private Peaceful is not an easy story to tell. It charts innocence, courage, loyalty, injustice and loss. This Junior School cast and crew told it with bravery, discipline and heart. The result was a production that was moving, technically accomplished, and memorable long after the final moment of stillness.
