Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – until 19th October 2024
Reviewed by Sally Lumley
5*****
War Horse is the National Theatre’s acclaimed production based on the book by Michael Morpurgo. It tells the story of the eponymous Joey (Head – Rianna Ash, Heart – Chris Milford, Hind – Tommy Goodridge), from his early days in rural Devon bonding with young Albert (Tom Sturgess), before being sold by Albert’s father to the Cavalry at the start of World War One. The story follows the plight of both Joey and Albert, as he enlists to search for his best friend across the battlefields of Europe.
War Horse is not for the faint hearted. It is, as it should be, unflinching in its battlefield scenes. The action takes us right to the Western Front and through Joey’s extraordinary journey we see the best and worst of humanity on both sides of the conflict. The impact of the brutal war on its innocent players is made clear and there are some very intense moments throughout.
The staging is sparse and dark, with a single giant strip of torn paper suspended across the top of the stage. This is used to great effect to project Rae Smith’s line drawn images, representing those that might have been done by a soldier at the time. This allows the audience to travel with Joey and Albert through different seasons and locations, but also helps to set the scene and the mood. The greatest benefit of this simplicity is that the stage is left free for the wonderful horses to be used to their full advantage.
For all of the darkness of the war, this is a beautiful production. Core to this are the incredible life-sized horses from South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, breathed into life by the astounding puppeteers. The horses are so life-like, so nuanced in their movements, that it really doesn’t take long to forget that the puppeteers are there at all. The impact of two huge horses, rearing up towards the audience as they prepare to jump across enemy lines was absolutely breathtaking, and is one of those rare moments in a theatre that I know I will never forget.
Sally Swanson as The Singer travels alongside the audience through Joey’s story, adding another layer to the story with beautiful folk inspired songs. What works really well in this production is the combination of multiple elements so that it is never too dark for the audience, never too intense. My ten-year-old son came with me to see War Horse, and although he understood the more serious parts, he did particularly enjoy the naughty goose, who had the audience laughing every time it came onto the stage. It is the balance between the moments of light and darkness that make War Horse such a memorable play. It transforms a tale set during some of the worst times of human history into a heartwarming beautiful story that can be enjoyed by audiences across the globe.
I will, quite simply, remember War Horse forever. This is a captivating story that is both heart breaking and full of hope, delivered by truly exceptional creatives. It is quite unlike anything else that I’ve seen on a stage, and something that I truly believe everyone should experience.