To mark the centenary of the First World War, a new tour of the stage production of Michael Morpurgo’s popular children’s story Private Peaceful comes to the Opera House, Manchester, May 7-10.
It relives the life of Private Tommo Peaceful, a young First World War soldier awaiting the firing squad at dawn. During the night he looks back at his short but joyful past growing up in rural Devon.
First published in 2003, the hugely popular novel was inspired by a visit to Ypres where Morpurgo was shocked to discover how many young soldiers were court-martialled and shot for cowardice. A film version of the book was released in 2012.