Review: War Horse, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
VISUALLY stunning and deeply moving, War Horse is the most successful play in National Theatre’s history and the latest reinterpretation, which opened at Southampton Mayflower Theatre on Tuesday, is utterly spellbinding.
Based on Michael Morpurgo’s bestselling novel, adapted for the stage by Nick Stafford, War Horse is a masterpiece of storytelling which blends incredible puppetry with stunning visuals and a magnificent musical score to deliver a fully immersive experience.
The life-sized horse puppets, constructed by the Handspring Theatre Company, were utterly astonishing and so well constructed that they truly came to life as they galloped, charged and dragged wartime machinery through the trenches. The puppeteers – Rianna Ash, Chris Milford and Tommy Goodridge as Joey and Tea Poldervaart, Robin Hayward and Gun Suen as Topthorn – were equally incredible demonstrating immense stamina, precision timing and faultless attention to detail.
Set design was also magnificent with a range of superb props and illustrated projections helping to transport the action between a rural Devon farm, a busy market square and finally the horrific scenes of a First World War battlefield. The use of moving visual images, particularly of bloodshed becoming a poppy field, was incredibly effective and deeply moving.
The play’s storyline trends a fine line between heartbreaking and uplifting, with even moments of comedy too. The central narrative of the play is focused on the incredible relationship between Joey, a magnificent and spirited horse, and Albert, the teenage boy who trained him.
When Joey is sold to the army to serve as a military horse on the frontline, it is not long before 16-year-old Albert embarks on his own harrowing quest in a bid to find his beloved horse. As the Albert and Joey encounter the horrors of war, a number of other incredible characters come and go from their lives. As each encounters incredible trauma, the hope that they will one day be reunited, begins to diminish.
Weaved into the storyline was a beautiful musical score which added to the heightened emotion of this incredible production.
The sizable cast of War Horse were superb, delivering powerful performances as the story’s characters were brought to life with nuance and emotion. In particular Tom Sturgess gave a compelling performance as Albert Narracott, the once carefree young horse trainer completely transformed by the horrors of conflict.
A story of friendship, love and the enduring power of the human spirit, War Horse is a truly exceptional production that will undoubtedly live long in the memories of all who watch it.
War Horse continues at Southampton Mayflower Theatre until Saturday 19th October. Tickets are from £27. For more information and bookings visit www.mayflower.org.uk or contact the box office on 023 8071 1811.