The magnificent War Horse is back on the Oxford New Theatre stage, and if last night’s standing ovation was anything to go by, it’s going to be a festive hit.
War Horse is the remarkable story of a young boy called Albert and his horse Joey, set against the backdrop of the First World War. Although the devastation of war is a constant in this show, for us the more powerful story was one of hope, love and bravery.
The cast of War Horse. Credit Brinkhoff-MoegenburgThe play opens at an auction house in the Taw Valley, Devon, in 1911, where a young half thoroughbred Colt is about to be sold. Brothers Arthur and Ted try to outbid each other for the foal and it’s eventually sold for an astronomical 39 guineas.
Ted wins the horse (and uses the mortgage money to pay for it); but it’s his son Albert who develops an unbreakable bond with the foal he names Joey; and who will later cross France’s battlefields in search of his beloved horse.
After the outbreak of war, Joey is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary journey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. Distraught at losing Joey, Albert lies about his age to enlist in the Army and embarks on a treacherous mission to find Joey and try and bring him home.
War Horse was a feast for the senses – watching the puppets was like watching real horses. The movement, the breathing, galloping, a twitch of the tail, a nod, a shake of its mane, an exhale, these puppets were incredibly lifelike.
The stars of the show were undoubtedly the actors who brought each horse to life. Each was operated by three actors who moved in sync to create a living breathing animal. Special mention must go to Matthew Lawrence, Rafe Young and Felicity Donnelly, who were Joey’s head, heart and hind respectively.
Also to Tea Poldervaart, Robin Hayward and Gun Suen who were Topthorn’s head, heart and hind respectively; and Diany Samba-Bandza, Jordan Paris, and Eloise Beaumont-Wood, who were Joey as a foal, the head, heart and hind respectively. They were breath-taking and kept the audience enthralled throughout the show.
The set is stark but effective with images detailing farmland, battlefields, loss and devastation projected on a backdrop.
This is a sober topic for a Christmas show and a powerful reminder of the destruction of war. But for us it was ultimately an uplifting production with a message of love and hope.
War Horse is a remarkable piece of theatre – if you haven’t seen it, go and see it; if you have already seen it, then go again. It just doesn’t stop dazzling the audience.
The show runs at Oxford’s New Theatre until January 4th. For more information or tickets view https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/war-horse/new-theatre-oxford/
