
War Horse
National Theatre, 2015
At the outbreak of World War One, Joey, young Albert’s beloved horse, is sold to the Cavalry and shipped to France. He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary journey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. Albert, who remained on his parents’ Devon farm, cannot forget Joey.
Though still not old enough to enlist he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home.
Based on the beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo, this powerfully moving and imaginative drama, filled with stirring music and songs, is a show of phenomenal inventiveness. At its heart are astonishing life-sized horses by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, who bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to thrilling life on stage.
War Horse is an unforgettable theatrical event which takes audiences on an extraordinary journey from the fields of rural Devon to the trenches of First World War France.
Cast
James Backway
Philip Bertioli
Ken Bradshaw
Adrian Christopher
Matthew Churcher
Clare Louise Connolly
Alasdair Craig
Drew Dillon
James Duncan
Nick Figgis
Patrick Flemming
Keiran Flynn
Alan Francis
Colm Gormly
Dominic Hodson
Ian Houghton
Mark Jackson
Simon Jenkins
Jamie Lee-Morgan
Nyron Levy
Shaun McCourt
Tony McGeever
Jayne McKenna
Kate Marlais
Chris Milford
Gary Mitchinson
Thomas Mittelheuser
Harry De Moraville
Ben Murray
Markus Schabbing
Adam Henderson Scott
Alisdair Simpson
Emma Thornett
Lowri Walton
Scarlet Wilderink
Sam Wilmott
Simon Wolfe
Creative Team
Original Book by Michael Morpurgo
Adaptation by Nick Stafford
Director - Marianne Elliot & Tom Morris
Associate Director - Andy Brunskill
Puppet Design - Handspring Puppet Co.
Puppetry Movement - Toby Sedgwick
Associate Puppetry Director - Jimmy Grimes
Set Designer - Rae Smith
Lighting Designer - Paule Constable
Music - Adrian Sutton
Songmaker - John Tams
Sound Designer - Christopher Shutt
Movement - Emily Mytton
Praise for
War horse
★★★★★
An entertainment phenomenon... powerfully moving and imaginative
Daily Telegraph
★★★★★
an astonishing piece of theatre
Time Out
★★★★★
The theatre event of the decade
Sunday Times
A triumph of theatricality
Observer
★★★★★
An extraordinary piece of theatre, absolutely guaranteed to move the heart
Sunday Express
★★★★★
be sure not to miss this stunning show
The Times
The most breathtaking puppetry you will ever see
Independent on Sunday
A landmark theatre event. Thrilling!
Time