War Horse

Review by: Paul Towers, 18/9/19

War Horse by Nick Stafford based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo

A National Theatre production

Curve 18 Sept to 12 October

“an astonishing production ... emotionally draining.”

Rarely have I come out of a theatre feeling so emotionally drained as I stumbled out of Curve tonight from War Horse, the story of Joey and Albert,  horse and owner inextricably linked by The Great War of 1914-18.

The opening vision of the foal, the infant Joey, stumbling around on his too long legs lulls you into a false sense of security and does not prepare you for the horrors that horse and owner go through. All too soon foal Joey fades into the shadows to be replaced by, looming out of Curve’s dark cavernous stage, the awesome sight of full grown Joey, a thoroughbred racehorse with a mind of his own. Permanently bonded to Albert, William Ilkley, the illiterate son of a Devon farmer, they are torn apart when Joey is sold by Albert’s father for the princely sum of £100 and sent away to France to become cannon fodder for the cavalry.

All this would be emotional enough until you actually see the extraordinary puppets that are the horses. Some, like Joey and his buddy Topthorn, have very complicated articulation and are operated by three operators. Others are less complicated and have fewer manipulators. Oh, and then there is the goose, much needed light relief, guided by a single guy, Jonathan Cobb.

Because the various puppeteers work on a rota to prevent RSI I can’t say which ones were on tonight but, whoever they were they were magnificent at characterising the horses’ various moods.

The whole story was nicely moved along by a narrator, Ben Murray, who sang original folk songs written for the play.

The puppets (although it does them a huge disservice to call them mere puppets) are remarkable in their versatility and ability to convey emotions. Curve’s huge main stage gives them the room they need to gallop around and rear up. At one point there is a huge cannon and even a WW1 tank rumbling out of the wings. Slung across the top of the stage is a banner reminiscent of the top of a page ripped out of a notepad onto which is projected a series of still sketches and animations telling us the timeline of the various events. This ties in with the similarly torn piece of paper that Albert carries through the war with a sketch of his beloved Joey.

To further cement the period in our minds the horrors of war are all too vividly recreated in sound and music by designer Christopher Shutt. Lighting design by Paule Constable adds further atmosphere and effect to the horrific slaughter on the stage.

Directed by Marianne Elliot and Tom Morris this is an astonishing production of a story that many said was un-stageable.

War Horse is at Curve until 12 October and tickets are still available and I defy you to walk out with dry eyes and without a lump in your throat.

Curve https://curveonline.co.uk
First published on Western Gazette