Post by Stephen Colly on Apr 8, 2009 17:25:33 GMT
Wow…what a day I had yesterday! It was A M A Z I N G!
Private Peaceful is based on the book by Michael Morpurgo who also wrote War Horse which has now transferred to the New London Theatre after two successful seasons at the National Theatre and playing to packed houses....Private Peaceful isn’t as spectacular in the sense it doesn’t have life-sized puppet horses galloping around on stage.
It tells the story of Tommo Peaceful, a young 16 year old soldier who retells his whole life during one lonely night in a barn in France, 1916 before he (in the book, his brother but it was changed for the stage show) is shot for disobeying orders. Michael Morpurgo said that the reason he wanted to write this story was to get people aware of over 250 soldiers that were killed in the Great War by their own side for in many cases – being shell shocked or not wanting to die.
It was adapted for the stage by Simon Reade who has done two versions, one for a whole cast and one for a single man (with only a bed for company), the latter is what I went to experience last month and was over blown by the man – Finn Hanlon – that I emailed the company and the stage manager – Suzie Foster – allowed me to go to the theatre and see what happens during and before a show.
It was an amazing day! Met Finn who was lovely and Suzie who was equally lovely. Watched the lighting being set up, the sound, swept the stage, talked a lot about War Horse (he didn’t like it! said the puppets were amazing but the acting was crap! That’s a completive actor for you!), and other theatre related things. Went to have lunch and then watched Finn warm up for the show in the afternoon which consisted of him running around the theatre saying lines from the show and singing at the top of his voice, stretching, rolling around on the floor, saying rhymes…had the whole lot in there!
Then, I sat at the back in the control box and watched the lighting during the performance and the sound, seeing how that all worked which was really interesting. It was amazing watching Finn get into character and as his character sits on the bed at the beginning of the show, it was interesting to watch him completely become Tomo Peaceful, not Finn Hanlon during the performance and minutes before.
Then had a photo afterwards which was fun! WHAT A DAY!!
Hope I haven’t bored you all rigid!
- the bed turned on its side.
- crap photo of me but this is me with Finn and Suzie.
Private Peaceful is based on the book by Michael Morpurgo who also wrote War Horse which has now transferred to the New London Theatre after two successful seasons at the National Theatre and playing to packed houses....Private Peaceful isn’t as spectacular in the sense it doesn’t have life-sized puppet horses galloping around on stage.
It tells the story of Tommo Peaceful, a young 16 year old soldier who retells his whole life during one lonely night in a barn in France, 1916 before he (in the book, his brother but it was changed for the stage show) is shot for disobeying orders. Michael Morpurgo said that the reason he wanted to write this story was to get people aware of over 250 soldiers that were killed in the Great War by their own side for in many cases – being shell shocked or not wanting to die.
It was adapted for the stage by Simon Reade who has done two versions, one for a whole cast and one for a single man (with only a bed for company), the latter is what I went to experience last month and was over blown by the man – Finn Hanlon – that I emailed the company and the stage manager – Suzie Foster – allowed me to go to the theatre and see what happens during and before a show.
It was an amazing day! Met Finn who was lovely and Suzie who was equally lovely. Watched the lighting being set up, the sound, swept the stage, talked a lot about War Horse (he didn’t like it! said the puppets were amazing but the acting was crap! That’s a completive actor for you!), and other theatre related things. Went to have lunch and then watched Finn warm up for the show in the afternoon which consisted of him running around the theatre saying lines from the show and singing at the top of his voice, stretching, rolling around on the floor, saying rhymes…had the whole lot in there!
Then, I sat at the back in the control box and watched the lighting during the performance and the sound, seeing how that all worked which was really interesting. It was amazing watching Finn get into character and as his character sits on the bed at the beginning of the show, it was interesting to watch him completely become Tomo Peaceful, not Finn Hanlon during the performance and minutes before.
Then had a photo afterwards which was fun! WHAT A DAY!!
Hope I haven’t bored you all rigid!
- the bed turned on its side. - crap photo of me but this is me with Finn and Suzie. 
