Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful tells the story of Private Tommo Peaceful, a young World War I soldier awaiting the firing squad at dawn.

Directed and adapted for the stage by Simon Reade, the heart-wrenching family production looks back on Tommo’s past, from his first days at school and the accident in the forest that killed his father to the injustices of war that brought him to the front line.

Morpurgo was inspired to write the story following his visit to Ypres where he was shocked to discover how many young soldiers were court-martialled and shot for cowardice during the First World War.

Private Peaceful was last seen in London at Trafalgar Studios following its world premiere at the Bristol Old Vic in 2004.

A film of the same name, which has also been adapted by Reade, is due to hit the UK in the autumn.

The author of over 100 books, Morpurgo was Children’s Laureate from 2003 to 2005 and received both the Blue Peter Book of the Year and Children’s Book Award for Private Peaceful.

His other works include War Horse, the stage version of which is currently playing in the West End, Why The Whales Came, The Wreck Of The Zanzibar and The Butterfly Lion.