The acclaimed National Theatre production of ‘WarHorse’ arrived at the Grand Theatre Wolverhampton last night, as the chosen West Midlands premier venue for the 2024/25 revival tour.
Indeed, with its gloriously extravagant three-tiered auditorium and towering proscenium I can’t think of a more fitting space to welcome the phenomenon that re-wrote the stage production rule book back in 2007.
Michael Morpurgo wrote the original novel 25 years earlier. It was his own tribute to the many men and the one million horses that lost their lives in the 1914-18 war – which was anything but ‘great’. Morpurgo didn’t go for jingoism but rather he set out to convey the suffering of all the participants and the stupidity and futility displayed.
As a novel, it wasn’t a huge commercial success, but through a recommendation from his mother, director Tom Morris happened upon it.
Morris wanted to break new ground at the National and worked with the award-winning Handspring Puppet Company to bring Morpurgo’s epic tale to life with the central character being a life-sized puppet horse, powered by humans.
Picture by Brinkhoff-Moegenburg. sWho would ever have thought that so many tears of sadness and joy would be shed and shared by audiences over equine puppets in what has become a timeless masterpiece.
The setting is a dark space where you can’t see the edges, into which actors both human and puppets emerge from the darkness. Above this floats a cloud like cyclorama where Rae Smith (the designer responsible for this genius) gives us a constant flow of backgrounds through her still and animated drawings.
Undoubtedly Director Tom Morris and Revival Director Katie Henry have brought together an awesome team of technical talent – all are excellent from lighting, sound and FX, through to costumes, puppets and music.
The story is of the journey of a young farm boy, Albert Narracott, his love for his horse Joey and his shocking journey to manhood as he searches for his equine friend when the horse is sold to the army as war fodder. Tom Sturgess engages and triumphs on every level in this role.
The whole multi-role-playing company exudes an aura of talent working in magnificent tandem.
Special mentions must be made for the hugely impressive horse puppeteers operating on press night, comprising for Joey – Head – Tom Quinn, Heart – Lewis McBean and Hind – Michael Larcombe and for TOPTHORN: Head – Mathew Lawrence, Heart – Rafe Young and Hind – Felicity Donnelly. JOEY as a foal was operated by Head – Eloise Beaumont-Wood, Heart – Diany Samba – Bandza and Hind – Jordan Paris.
Picture by Brinkhoff-Moegenburg. sWarHorse is seamless and relentless, tugging constantly on the emotions. It is spectacular and believable, uplifting and depressing. An unforgettable, courageous and magnificent piece of theatre that will run forever.
Sadly, it’s also a reminder the brave farmers-turned-fighters in Ukraine are in the mud and slime of new trenches.
WarHorse runs until March 22 at the Grand. Click here for times, tickets and more information.
*****
Review by Euan Rose
Euan Rose Reviews
