NE1 Reviews: War Horse at Newcastle Theatre Royal
We review the worldwide sensation at Newcastle Theatre Royal
Over the years, War Horse has become one of those indisputably acclaimed productions, mentioned in the same breath as theatre’s most beloved shows. “You’ve not seen it?” people say, “oh you absolutely have to.”
Having won more than twenty-five major awards, and been seen by over 8.3 million people worldwide though, perhaps it’s easy to have a degree of skepticism. How could a show, which debuted back in 2007 in the Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre on London’s South Bank, still hold so much weight with audiences? Especially since the worlds of both theatre and technology have advanced so much in the eighteen years since its premiere, with productions like My Neighbour Totoro and Life of Pi since pushing puppeteering’s boundaries?
Well – push those doubts aside. War Horse has galloped onto the Theatre Royal stage for an impressive run of performances up until Saturday 20th September, and there’s neigh way you’ll want to miss it.
Based on Michael Morpurgo’s 1982 novel of the same name, War Horse follows thoroughbred horse Joey in his journey from World War I France, to reuniting with his loyal owner Albert (Tom Sturgess). Like much of Morpurgo’s work, animals adopt the role of protagonists here. After all, we are introduced to young Joey far before Albert and his family. Just like The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, or Born to Run, Joey becomes a vessel for exploring the complexities of human emotion. Without the need for words, Joey communicates everything from fear and frustration, to joy and jealousy in his movements.
It’s a sentiment Tom Morris (co-director) echoes when speaking about the show’s continued legacy; “When you are looking at a puppet, which every bit of your rational brain knows is not alive, you have to engage a different bit of your brain, which is more emotional. So then when the horse is experiencing a challenge or a trauma the audience are looking at a child of their own imagination. They’re very invested in it because they’ve created it.”
This of course, is thanks to the incredible work of South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, the masterminds behind the life-sized creatures that continue to astonish audiences night after night – ourselves included. And the similarities between human and animal emotion are only further emphasized through the talented puppeteers that breathe life into each horse on stage. Jordan Paris, Eloise Beaumont-Wood and Clara Lioe embodying Joey as a foal, Rianna Ash, Chris Milford and Tommy Goodridge embracing the fierce Topthorn, and Tom Quinn, Lewis McBean and Michael Larcombe taking on the role of Albert’s beloved Joey. You’ve probably already seen the work of these talented performers by now, but rest assured that nothing really prepares you for the breathtaking experience of seeing it live on-stage.
Accompanying these awe-inspiring visuals, is the music from The Singer, played here by Sally Swanson. The Scottish actor-musician has played accordion and sang folk and Scottish Gaelic from a young age – talents that are absolutely on show here. The voice for John Tams songs (originally written for the National Theatre production), she often sings solo throughout the performance, but there’s something beautifully haunting when she leads the cast in a chorus of The Year Turns Round Again, or Only Remembered, that sticks with you long after the curtain falls.
It’s also worth highlighting the amazing work of designer Rae Smith, whose drawings stand in stead of a more traditional set design. Whether helping to immerse us in the fields of rural Devon, or reflecting the shared love for Joey between Alfred and Lieutenant Nicholls (Chris Williams) with sketches of the four-legged protagonist, this unique world-building is subtle, helping to hone attentions onto the people and puppetry flooding the stage.
Taking on the role of effectively the second main character, we’d be remiss not to mention the performance of Tom Sturgess as Albert Narracott, the teenage boy who raises Joey from a foal, to plough horse, and inevitably, war horse. Sturgess does such a wonderful job of embodying Albert’s youthful energy – a spirit that refuses to be dampened even when his father (played here by Karl Haynes) sells Joey to the war effort – and auspicious attitude that keeps him believing that he will eventually be reunited with his horse. His undying optimism and belief that things will get better, is probably something we could all do with a bit more of.
So, if you couldn’t already tell by now, we were absolutely enamoured with War Horse. Expect to cry, laugh, and then probably cry some more. And if you haven’t seen it already? Oh, you absolutely have to…
War Horse is playing at Newcastle Theatre Royal up until 20th September. Visit the Theatre Royal website to find out more, and buy tickets.
Main image: Brinkhoff Moegenburg
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