Review - War Horse at the National Theater [yasr_overall_rating]

[yasr_overall_rating]

The play War Horse makes its comeback at the National Theater 11 years after its premiere in the same theater. In 10 years, War Horse has been applauded all around the globe (England, Australia, China, South Africa,…).
The play staged by Marianne Elliot and Tom Morris returns to the National Theater to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.

The story

It's the touching story between a boy, Albert Narracott, and Joey, a young horse bought by Albert's father (then drunk and wanting to challenge his brother) with all the money from their farm mortgage.
In 1914, Albert's father sold Joey to the army as a war horse. The viewer follows Joey's adventures on the battlefield, and moving from the English camp to the German one, meeting a French family. Albert runs away to find his horse in the misery of warring France.

The directors Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris worked with the South African company Handspring Puppet Company, a company specializing in the art of the puppet.
The play features puppets made by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler to bring his animals to life on stage. Whether it's the swallow, the cheeky goose or the crows on the French battlefield, all his puppets come to life thanks to the talent of the puppeteers of the Handspring Puppet Company.

Most impressive are the life-size horse puppets. They are handled by three visible puppeteers who also provide a variety of sound effects. It is so precise that the result is impressive and the audience is fascinated.

To give you an idea, here is the trailer where we can see the puppeteers handling the horses:

With a fairly simple story, I was afraid that the scenic devices could not be reinvented because the show lasts nearly 3 hours. Still, it's a captivating narrative on stage for all ages thanks to the beautifully articulated puppets on stage.

The scenography of Rae Smith (which won him a Tony Award) is perfectly integrated into the narrative. The scene is overlooked by a torn sheet of a sketchbook, measuring about 20 meters and on which are projected sketches of landscapes and atrocities of war. They make it possible to bring the cruelty of war to life on stage but also to purify the scene and to leave room for the horses and for the cast comprising around 35 actors.

There is also an important musical aspect with many period songs and war hymns accompanied instrumentally by actor-musicians on the accordion or trumpet. These musics allow the story to be told over time and allow a reflection on the changing relationships between the characters.

We note in particular the performance of Thomas Dennis as Albert, Jo Castleton who plays his mother as well as Peter Becker as Friedrich Müller. Very touching and fair performances.

It is an incredible and particularly moving theatrical experience as we commemorate the 100 years of the armistice!
The play runs through January 5 at the National Theater. You can buy your tickets here.