REVIEW: ‘WAR HORSE’ AT THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE
Last night, The Grand Opera House played host to the National Theatre’s touring production of War Horse, and it was nothing short of breathtaking.
I have never experienced such a depth of emotions during and after a piece of theatre. I was not alone in shedding tears last night as the sheer futility and hopelessness of war was played out on a stage.
The very real connections between humans on both sides of the bloody, muddy trenches and the horses that fought alongside them were brought to life.
From the moment the life-sized puppet horses stepped onto the stage, the audience was transported into Michael Morpurgo’s powerful tale of love, loyalty, and the devastating impact of war.
The Handspring Puppet Company’s craftsmanship was nothing short of miraculous. Horses, Joey and Topthorn, the heart of the story, were brought to life with such astonishing realism that it was easy to forget they weren’t real animals. There were real animals to us.
With three skilled puppeteers operating each horse, their movements – the twitch of an ear, the gentle rise and fall of their breath, the anguished whinnies, were so lifelike that the emotional connection between them and the audience was astonishing.
But it wasn’t just the puppetry that shone. The cast delivered deeply moving performances, particularly in portraying the bond between young Albert and his beloved horse, Joey.
The pain and terror on the faces of the men as the went over the trenches, riding high on their horses into a barrage of flashes and bangs from the enemy will stay with me forever.
The staging was simple yet stunning, using lighting and projections to create everything from the peaceful English countryside to the horrors of No Man’s Land. And the sound design – the rumble of war, the haunting English folk music immersed the audience in every moment.
The most heart-wrenching scene of the night, an exhausted and beaten Joey’s entrapment in a tangle of barbed wire in No Man’s Land, left the theatre in stunned silence before reducing many to tears. When soldiers from both sides paused their battle to save him, the play reminded us of the shared humanity that can exist even in war’s darkest moments.
By the final bow, the entire theatre was on its feet, delivering a well-deserved standing ovation. This production of War Horse is a triumph – a visually stunning, deeply moving theatrical experience that lingers long after the curtain falls.
For those yet to see it, be warned: bring tissues.
