So this weekend I finally got round to seeing the hit West End play War Horse at the New London Theatre.
The play has enjoyed phenomenal success since it opened at the National Theatre in 2007. Now in its seventh year, and a permanent residency at the New London Theatre, Michael Morpurgo's classic tale has grown to international success with productions popping up across the pond in the US and in Europe captivating audiences with the story of Joey and Albert.
From it's first reception the play was regarded as a game changer for the West End and in my opinion its still setting the bench mark for all new productions that grace London. The question is how does it maintain it's popularity and draw in the crowds?
Well one of its strongest selling points is the story. Michael Morpurgo 's tale is compelling, funny and sad, but most importantly it appeals and captures the imagination, and pulls the heart strings of people of all ages.
Written in 1982, the story focuses on the lives of a horse called Joey and his young owner Albert. From their carefree and humble beginnings in the West Country we see their lives transformed as Joey is sold off to the army and shipped off to France and the battlefields of World War One. We are swept along in the emotional tale as we join Albert who secretly signs up to track down Joey and bring him home.
We are all familiar with the brilliant puppetry of the horses, but actually seeing them on stage is indescribable. It's not just the physical performance of the puppeteers recreating the movements of a horse, but it's the sound effects created by the actors and how believable they make the interaction between man and beast. Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph, said in his review in 2007; "there is something so noble about these astonishingly lifelike puppets, whose movements and sounds are so meticulously caught by their operatives, that they can withstand the weight of emotion placed on them." It's something that I couldn't agree more with.
Yes, the horses are brilliant, but the rest of the cast are crucial in building the story and maintaining the audiences empathy. Each character is vividly brought to life and you feel the joy and pain of each person as they are impacted by the devastation of war whether its a local farmer or a father mourning the loss of a son. It sent a chill down my spine when villagers optimistically expected the war to be over by Christmas 1914, when we as the audience know the reality of what our country would endure for several years.
My only annoyance is that it took me so long to go and see it however; seeing it in the centenary year of the start of World War One made it that touch more poignant.
War Horse is on at the New London Theatre. For more information or to book tickets visit www.realluyusefultheatres.co.uk.
