War Horse is one of those rare shows that completely pulls you in from start to finish.
The set is simple, but it works really well. Instead of big, flashy scenery, a lovely torn page showing illustrations draws you in along with the use of clever staging and lighting to tell the story, which actually makes everything feel more real and focused, rather than a distraction.
War horse tells the story of Albert – a simple farm boy whose relationship with his horse Joey, deepens as situations happen beyond their control.
The army buy Joey and take him to France where he faces risk every day on the battlefields of the Somme, playing his part in World War One.
The real stars of the show are the horses.
The creatures, brought to life by astonishingly skilled puppeteers, are nothing short of breathtaking. Within moments, you forget entirely that these animals are sculpted from cane and fabric. They breathe, whinny, rear, and gallop with such authenticity and emotional feeling that you find yourself responding to them as living beings.
The way the show brings the war to life is very intense. You can feel the fear and chaos through the loud explosions, gunfire, flashing lights, and powerful images. It’s loud, dramatic, and at times, overwhelming—in the best way. You really feel like you’re in the middle of it all and feel grateful that you weren’t.
Overall, War Horse is a powerful and emotional experience. It’s beautifully done, and it stays with you long after it ends. Several times the audience held their breath, concerned for the fate of their heroes.
The mix of strong storytelling, amazing puppetry, and clever stage work makes it something really special and definitely worth seeing.
Enormous credit to Director Tom Morris and Revival Director Katie Henry for their spectacular work, alongside the genius puppeteers Rianna Ash, Chris Milford, and Thomas Goodridge (Joey) and Tom Quinn, Lewis McBean and Michael Larcombe (Topthorn)
And of course to the actor Tom Sturgess who plays Albert – a beautiful and gentle performance doing real justice to the character as it was written.
War Horse is on at the Bristol Hippodrome Until June 21st.