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The spectacle that is War Horse on stage is, without doubt, one of the best productions I’ve been privileged to witness not once, but twice now. And it’s every bit as breathtaking (if not more so) the second time around.
The award-winning show has returned to Hanley’s Regent Theatre this week as part of its national tour, having last graced the stage in 2019. In fact, it’s only the third time in almost 20 years it’s been hosted in Stoke-on-Trent, so its relatively rare visit is one that mustn’t be missed. Not only that, but as someone who has seen upwards of 100 shows in the last decade, this is the one show I always tell people they absolutely have to see. It’s easily in my top five shows I’ve seen in my lifetime, up there with the likes of Hamilton and Back To The Future The Musical.
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During the First World War, one million horses were taken to France from Britain, yet only 62,000 were brought back, and War Horse – a story inspired by a Devon War Veteran in a village pub – tells the story of one such horse that made it back after finding himself on both sides of the conflict.
Based on Michael Morpurgo’s novel, the story follows Joey, a horse sold to the cavalry during World War I, and his young owner, Albert, who embarks on a perilous journey to bring him home. Many theatre-goers today may have seen the gorgeous film adaptation – directed by none other than Steven Spielberg – that was released in 2011, but there is truly nothing as striking as seeing this emotional story come to life on stage.
What makes this adaptation so extraordinary is a combination of factors, from emotional storytelling to evocative staging. But the beating heart of the show is the life-sized horse puppets, created by the Handspring Puppet Company. These beautifully crafted characters, operated by teams of highly skilled puppeteers, move in such a realistic way that you quickly forget they aren’t real animals. The subtlest movements, from the flick of an ear or blow from their nostrils, conveys everything it needs to, really pouring life into these majestic creatures. Every gallop across the stage is executed with such precision and elegance, with Joey very much being the star of the show.
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His companion, young Albert, played by Tom Sturgess, delivers a heartwarming and compelling performance. His loyalty and determination are repeatedly showcased throughout the story, and what I loved about his portrayal of the character was his shift from boy to man, forced to mature quickly in the trenches of the Somme Valley. The supporting cast, from Geordie soldiers to delinquent ducks, all help to elevate the story, injecting humour and balancing the shade of this story with much-needed lightness, while Anne-Marie Piazza’s unfaltering vocals underscore the poignancy of each scene with a soul-stirring intimacy.
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Directed by Tom Morris with revival director Katie Henry, the show seamlessly transitions between rural Devon and the battlefields of France, enhanced by projections and atmospheric sound and lighting making for an immersive, cinematic experience. It is a visually stunning production, and a truly unforgettable theatrical experience with a profoundly moving story at its centre, and one that has sadly become even more relevant in recent years Reflecting on writing War Horse, Michael Morpurgo himself commented: “There were times when the book was thought to be nostalgic in some way, with little connection to our lives today. The power of the play always broke through that, and was always a stark reminder of the pity of war. More than ever, it is the pity that lingers long in the mind, in the heart, long after we leave the theatre.”
Poignant, powerful, and truly magical, there have been more than 7,500 performances of War Horse witnessed by more than 8.3 million people, and it truly feels like an honour to be one of them. You can catch it at The Regent Theatre until Saturday, March 8 with tickets from £39 here.
