Review: War Horse (UK & Ireland Tour)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The National Theatre’s internationally acclaimed production of War Horse has returned home, galloping to theatres up and down the country since last September as part of a major UK and Ireland tour. Having never seen the show before, I had been planning to catch it at one of the first venues on the tour last year but unfortunately couldn't make it work, meaning I have had a long wait to finally see this apparentmasterpiece for myself. With the tour rolling into Milton Keynes this week, I couldn’t wait any longer and took myself down there to see it - but after hearing such amazing things about this production from everyone, would it live up to my expectations? In other words, would it be a yay or a nay?

Based on Michael Morpugo’s best-selling novel from 1982, the stage adaptation of War Horse premiered in 2007 and enjoyed a run of over 3000 performances by the time its West End run concluded in 2016, with runs on Broadway and tours around the world in the years since. Taking the audience on a journey from the fields of rural Devon to the trenches of France during the First World War, it sees a young boy, Albert, care for and nurture a young horse, Joey. Doing whatever he takes to keep them together, he is heartbroken when Joey is sold to the Cavalry and shipped to France. Determined to find him and see him again, Albert is prepared to do whatever he takes to bring his horse home, even if the odds are stacked against him.

Whenever I told anyone I was seeing War Horse I would get an extreme reaction from them about how incredible and even life-changing this show is. I’m not sure when I have ever seen a response so unanimous and full of love as there was for this show, With me being me, this left me anxious at the possibility of me not sharing these seemingly universal views. I needn’t have worried though as I immediately fell head over heels in love with the story, the show and the production and began kicking myself that I hadn’t seen it before. If you were to tell me I would find myself sobbing over a puppet horse... I’d have probably believed you.

Full of imagination and creativity, War Horse isn’t so much a conventional show as it is an experience. The use of drawings from Rae Smith gives a unique design aspect to the show, as does the stunning animation and projection design. The use of lighting from Rob Casey (originally by Paule Constable) is jaw-dropping in itself - with a predominantly dark stage, cast and animals appear out of darkness while shadow creates a beautiful aesthetic, reflective of the darkness of the story while the embers of light reflect the hope and optimism in the story despite these dark circumstances.

Of course, one of the most remarkable things about War Horse is the puppetry, nothing short of spectacular in itself. The creation of the horses through some expert puppeteers creates some thrilling sequences, meticulously creating the movement and presence of the horses through expert choreography from Toby Sedgwick in a prime example of how magical theatre can be at its best. There is something so real about these puppets, despite the fact they are very clearly not - and the personalities that they present on stage is chiefly responsible for the overwhelming emotion I felt as the show drew to its climax. 

War Horse is a beast of a show thanks to all of its moving parts and the unique nature of its execution. Directed by Tom Morris with revival director Katie Henry, all the differing and difficult elements of this production are tied together seemingly effortlessly in a production so completely magical, it represents how powerful theatre can be, particularly when it is as perfect as this. The consideration for how to transport this show into all of the various venues around the UK and Ireland should also be commended, with cast members appearing around the audience on multiple levels at Milton Keynes in sequences I imagine takes careful planning depending on the venue they are in.

Of course, the story would be nothing without its writing and Nick Stafford’s adaptation of Michael Morpugo’s novel is breathtaking in itself. You don’t need to be an animal lover to fall in love with this story about a boy and his horse, representing friendship and love. The way the story is told is beautiful, full of emotion and humanity. I was entranced by the story of Albert and Joey fairly instantly in a production that starts on a high and never waivers even for a minute, leaving me enraptured until the very last moment.

Tom Sturgess delivers an impressive performance as Albert Narracott with versatility and growth as the character develops from a young boy into the man who ends the show. Believable and heartfelt, Sturgess melts hearts with his sweet and loving take on the character - it takes a lot for an actor to have undeniable chemistry with a puppet but that is a testament to his performance in itself. Other standouts across the consistently phenomenal cast are Alexander Ballinger as Captain Friedrich Muller and a beautiful addition of music from Sally Swanson as The Singer. 

I had heard War Horse was a special show and expected to love it myself based on what others had said. There are levels of love, however, and the love I felt for this show is as strong as it gets. Absolutely faultless in every sense, the staging, direction, creation and performance in War Horse is the perfect example of how striking theatre can be at its very best. If someone was to ask me why I adore theatre as much as I do, I would take them to this production of War Horse to watch their senses and emotions come alive with the beauty and genius of it before declaring “That’s why”. Saddled with emotion and trotting the fine line between heartbreak and hope, War Horse is everything theatre should be and more.

War Horse plays at Milton Keynes Theatre until 3rd May, Tickets available here

It then continues to gallop around the UK and Ireland until 8th November. Dates and tickets at https://www.warhorseonstage.com/ 

Photos by Brinkhoff-Moegenburg