COMMEMORATING the centenary of the end of the First World War, Sodbury Players present this poignant and heartfelt play by War Horse author Michael Morpurgo this week at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall.

Told via a series of flashbacks and featuring a full ensemble cast made up of actors from the adult group and the award-winning youth section of Sodbury Players, this beautifully written and acted play takes the audience through a whirlwind of emotions from the innocence of childhood to the horrors of the trenches.

The story centres around the Peaceful family whose rural adolescence of playground games, first relationships and family life is brutally cut short by the outbreak of war.

Like many boys at the time, 16-year-old Tommo Peaceful (brilliantly portrayed by 18-year-old Sam Frankcom) lies about his age and joins up with his older brother Charlie (Ross Arnott) when the recruiting sergeant comes to town.

From the parade grounds to the rat-infested trenches, the minimalist set, sound effects and lighting really bring the battlefield to life and the production certainly doesn’t shy away from the horrors faced by the soldiers.

At the same time, stories and letters from home – led by Nicky Shipton as Mrs Peaceful and Jade Meachin as Charlie’s young wife Molly, really accentuate the worry and despair felt by everyone affected by this conflict.

Ultimately this is a story about the absolute futility of war. Hundreds of thousands of young men lost their lives in the trenches, cut down by enemy fire as they tried to gain mere feet in ground space.

When Charlie and Tommo refuse to go ‘over the top’, they face a court marshal and are branded as cowards.

The sensitively moving portrayal of their fate will stay with the audience for some time to come, as we were reminded that it was only as recent as 2006 that the thousands of men who were shot for cowardice or desertion were pardoned.

Private Peaceful runs until Saturday, May 19 at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall.

Performances are at 7.30pm. Tickets are available on the door or from sodburyplayers.org.uk

By Richard Cottle