MICHAEL Morpurgo was more than a little sceptical when in 2007 the National Theatre decided to produce a stage version of his 1982 anti-war novel War Horse. Not surprisingly in that the story followed the adventures of a thoroughbred horse from foal to becoming one of the 62,000 (out of one million) horses taken over to France during the First World War and survived the conflict.
It is also a love affair between the horse, Joey, and teenage Devon farm boy Albert Narracott, sensitively portrayed by Tom Sturgess, who becomes an underaged soldier in order to find his horse in France and bring him safely home. It also tells the tragic stories of Joey’s pal Topthorn, his equally committed German master Captain Friedrich Muller(Alexander Ballinger), and Albert’s hot-headed cousin Billy, (Haydn Burke) all sacrificed on the alter of futile war.
Depicting the various characters within the story are Albert’s careworn mother Rose (Jo Castleton) and drunken father Ted (Karl Haynes), Captain Stewart and Lieutenant, (Daniel Rock and Chris Williams), as two well meaning officers who have failed to realise that barbed wire and machine guns have made horses an outdated commodity in war, and a plethora of other finely-drawn characters, is a straightforward task if you have a talented cast and well written dialogue. And this production has both those assets in plenty.
Creating the presence of two full-sized horses, numerous farm animals (including a nasty tempered goose), birds of prey as well as the horrors, sound and fury of the war looks at first sight to be a challenge too much even for the skilled technicians and directors of the National Theatre. Thanks to the magnificent puppetry of the Handspring Puppet Company, and the skill of the on-stage puppeteers, the horses are so real that audience gasped and responded in horror every time they were hurt or threatened. Just as the actors formed a tight, close-knit unit, so did the off-stage technical crews, lighting, sound, video and costumes, all to bring the horrors, futility and stupidity of war vividly to life.
Above all else, Michael Morpurgo’s tender love story between a boy and a horse illustrates that the falsely named Great War – the War to End all Wars – apart from killing an estimated ten million people, achieved nothing. Not even acting as a guide to the next generation who, 21 years later, went down the same barren path. Under the guidance of former Bristol Old Vic artistic director Tom Morris and revival director Katie Henry, this splendid production is not only a brilliant piece of theatre, but should be essential viewing for all those around the world who think that war is the answer to their ambitions and in some way will advance and benefit humanity.
War Horse can be seen at the Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday 21st June.
GRP
Photographs by Brinkhoff Mögenburg