IT is common knowledge that war has a profound impact on the human soldiers and civilians caught up in it, but what about animals?
This is the question that War Horse, based on the Michael Morpurgo book of the same name, addresses. The story itself was formed when Morpurgo was speaking to a veteran of the First World War in a pub nearly 45 years ago, with the author hearing of the veteran's experiences in the trenches, with the soldiers and the gas. The resulting book didn’t sell well initially, only becoming a world wide hit years later in 2007 when it was adapted to the stage.
And what an adaptation it is!
The show follows the story of the horse Joey, who is raised from infancy by young Devonshire farmer Albert Narracott (played brilliantly by Tom Sturgess). The pair form a deep bond, which is ripped apart when war is declared, and Joey is sold to the British army. From there, Joey sees the war from both the English and German sides, under the care of Captain James Nicholls and Officer Friedrich Müller respectively, while Albert enlists and travels to the front to find his friend.
The play is absolutely stunning, with the amazing puppetry work involved in getting the horses onto the stage playing a large part of that. Teams of puppeteers worked to bring Joey and Topthorn to life, imbuing them with personality and life. I thought they did a fantastic job, with my favourite scene being when Joey ages from a foal to a fully grown horse, the rearing baby transitioning to a magnificent beast.
But while the puppets steal the show, that is not to say that the human cast is completely overshadowed. All of the actors do stellar work, including the aforementioned Sturgess as Albert, and Chris Williams as Lieutenant Nicholls, who brings real strength to the role. But my favourite player in the show was Alexander Ballinger as Captain Friedrich Müller, a soldier who finds himself turning against the war after seeing its continued horrors, trying without hope to make it home to his wife and daughter. Ballinger is incredibly likeable in the role, a self-proclaimed coward who is still brave enough to walk into danger to save French civilians and the horses he cares deeply for.
The show also uses some amazing imagery, with projected drawings and animated elements lighting up the back of the stage. Rural Devon is shown as beautiful sketchbook drawings, while the horror of the trenches becomes nightmarish, abstract images, with soldiers' bodies twisting into poppies, doomed last charges depicted with ghostly silhouettes, and horrifying images of the dead and dying when the artillery cannons fire. It is all incredibly evocative, although I can imagine that younger viewers might find this all quite frightening.
If you get the chance to see War Horse, I would highly recommend it. It is a beautiful play, and is very life affirming in some respects. I saw it in a packed theatre, but there was a reverential silence throughout – we were all stunned by how beautiful this show is.
War Horse is at the Mayflower Theatre from October 8 to October 19.
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