Make no mistake about it, this is a show that is without fault

It's testimony to the quality of this outstanding production that the only fault my girlfriend could think of was the name of the four-legged protagonist Joey, whose journey we follow over two hours and 20 minutes of theatrical genius. Make no mistake about it, this is a show that is without fault and the theatre critics' universal five star approval of this staggering show is justified. It's little surprise that War Horse will make its Broadway debut, such has been its success.

Humour, love, loyalty, tragedy and many more themes are fused together into the central plot of a foal's journey from an auction house in the Devon countryside to service in the First World War. Along the way Joey is loved, cherished and nurtured by Albert Narracott, a young farmboy, though when war is declared the now fully-grown horse's fortunes become entwined with those of the country.

Beautifully paced, War Horse moves through the years effortlessly and the attention to detail is impeccable. As the story progresses, the social, political and economical context of the times is adhered to perfectly through the costumes, music and attitudes of the main characters. Within minutes you?re hooked by the development of Joey and Albert's relationship and by the end this seed of a plot has germinated into many sub-storylines relating to war and life in the war years.

Adapted from a Michael Morpurgo novel the script is perfectly written with every emotion of Albert's relationship with his life and love exquisitely described. The performance from Matthew Aubrey is marvellous, portraying the highs and lows of his life with Joey with passion, verve and absolute authenticity. His fellow cast members are equally impressive in their roles, in particular Eamonn O'Dwyer who as the Song Man performs poignant accordion interludes which move the plot on in moving fashion.

But our two-legged heroes are inevitably overshadowed by the majesty and presence of Joey and his cast of animals whose fortunes we follow most closely. The attention to detail in the construction and performance of the puppets is extraordinary, from the delicate flicking of the tail and turning of the ears to the kicking out of the horses when provoked. The sheer variety of movements, actions and emotions played out by Joey and co is one of the many highlights of War Horse. Over a million horses died in the First World War, an often ignored statistic that is brought to attention by the wonderfully portrayed journey of Joey and Topthorne in War Horse.

All this is matched by the well-judged use of effects, which accurately highlight one of the major sub-themes of the play - the sheer futility of war and the devastating consequences of the introduction of machinery into battle. Above the stage cartoons and images are displayed on a screen, lending context to the action below, and the perfectly judged use of music complete this five star show. War Horse is an absolute triumph that anyone with even the remotest interest in theatre should see.

Review Date: 4th December 2010

Archived Review

After seeing War Horse I was asked how it ranks amongst the theatrical experiences I've seen in the past few years. My response - 'I'm not sure, but its certainly in the top one'.

This is a production that leaves you in no doubt that you've seen the art of live theatre at its world class best, both in terms of the creative team behind the scenes and the performers on stage.

The story line itself is poignant with the obvious heartache of World War I. But more telling than that was the family relationships at the heart of the drama. Brothers at war with each other, husband and wife fighting to survive, and father and son estranged. The unifying harmony in this story of physical and emotional carnage being a horse, Joey.

We first meet Joey as a foal at the opening of the show and the audience is introduced to the Handspring Puppet Company's creation of this life sized horse puppet made of cane, bent on to plywood and held together with twine, covered in a translucent fabric.

But, don't be fooled. The exquisite performance of the team that control Joey establishes the foal as a living character to which the audience immediately bonds as he takes his journey through life and through the trials and trenches of northern France.

The staging of the performance compels belief and the attention to period detail enriches, particularly the hauntingly evocative music. The key moments of theatrical stage craft are delivered with impact but without an overly heavy hand.

As the interval arrives the spell in which the audience is held is hardly broken as the wonderment of what you've just seen carries you back to the auditorium. Never have I seen an audience that keen to be seated and ready to see what happens next in this epic tale.

The second half brings tears of heartbreak and joy. At its heart this is a truly uplifting story, with the depiction of characters caught up in war on both sides of no-man's land being equally human.

If you can only see one show in London's West End - then this is the one to see. If you're planning your time for more than one, see this one last, otherwise the rest will pale in comparison.

OUR NOTES FOR THE SHOW
War Horse is suitable for audiences aged 10 and upwards. There is some mild profanity and a fair few gunshots.

A word of advice though - if you take you're interval drink back into the auditorium, then drink it quickly - my companion jumped so much at the first gunshot after the interval that she threw hers over her shoulder at the people in the row behind. Also the performers do run through the audience so be careful if you stretch out too much!

The New London Theatre is a more modern theatre built in the late 1960's. All the eyelines are good so there is no particular advice on seating. Being so close to Covent Garden there are plenty of places to eat before and after the show, even if you do feel like a bucket of horse feed after that much equine entertainment.

View our show pages for more information about War Horse, New London Theatre.