Huge on spectacle but thin on drama, the revival of War Horse at the Olivier feels more like the launch of another tour than a seminal work that has returned with new resonance. Without question, the production values are mind-blowing. The sculptural and immersive quality of Handspring Puppet Company’s creations are worth experiencing for their own sake. But there is something a little too crowd-pleasing and therefore ultimately cartoonish about this production. When you have the mightiest stage in the country and every resource at your disposal, is it possible you lose sight of the story you’re trying to tell?
Michael Morpurgo is regarded as a national treasure, but his book, on which the production is based, was not considered one of his major works until it took off with the phenomenon that was the ambitious puppetry-driven production staged by Tom Morris and Marianne Elliott 20 years ago. Here somewhat lies the problem. Morpurgo is beloved by the late primary school set (and their parents) for spinning compelling yarns with plenty of jeopardy against historical backdrops. Often centring on relationships between children and animals (I can think of two with big elephant energy), he explores concepts of loss, xenophobia, nationalism and betrayal effectively – without being too saccharine or too terrifying for his audience. War Horse, both Morpurgo’s novel and Nick Stafford’s play, also embraces these themes. Yet, despite the novelist himself commenting, “Sadly, we are reminded again today that the tragic habit we seem to have of solving our differences through war is still with us,” this revival manages to dodge exactly that point.
Of course, this is a play targeted at children (sweet spot about 10 years old), and there is much in its visual glory to recommend it. But despite all the grandeur of the horses (true feats of stagecraft and athleticism of puppeteers who operate them), along with some of the most elaborate and expensive video projection design (by 59 Studio) the story feels like a shadow of a story and not fully emotionally engaging. Young Albert (Tom Sturgess) is the vehicle through whom we must love his horse, Joey. We understand that Albert’s father, Ted (Stephen Beckett), is a feckless drunk and gambler and that his mother, Rose (Jo Castleton), is a long-suffering farmer’s wife. The primary characters need not be personalities never before encountered, but this family comes across like cartoon cut-outs. Perhaps they are only there to drive focus on the horse, but the absence of human chemistry creates a barrier to caring profoundly about their wants and fears.
Maybe it’s the supernumerary scale of giant race course scenes, parades, or visits by the recruiting sergeant as war breaks out, but both the blocking and the pacing feel a bit like an opera cast assembled to do its greatest hits without an actual libretto. I couldn’t help but wonder if the play itself would stand up with physical theatre practitioners in a black box studio – could it beguile us with pathos and catharsis based on its story alone? I sense not.
It is wonderful to behold the detail of the puppetry – to see ears twitching with emotional energy. Yet somehow the humans surrounding them come across as sanitised and schticky. The one exception in the dramatic performances is Manuel Klein as Cavalry Captain Friedrich in the second act. I began to see glimpses of depth and an anchor amongst all the visual splendour, but then that subplot disappeared amongst so many other vignettes crammed in to get to the conclusion. Even the horrors of the Somme are relayed mostly through animation projected on Rae Smith’s set. Shown through a tear or open wound, that is a powerful visual image, but the visuals eventually become another aspect of indicative ‘telling’ rather than visceral ‘showing’.
With top tickets costing £120, this production may be a safe choice for impressing your visiting relatives, like going to a Vegas residency of Cirque du Soleil. There is no question that the production design is special and exciting. But perhaps it’s that safety afforded by all the baroque elements that distracts from, rather than enhances, the tension and energy essential to theatre. The effects are immersive, but the storytelling is not.
Review by Mary Beer
Anita Adam Gabay – Joey as a Foal / Emilie / Understudy Shaw
Rianna Ash – Joey / Topthorn Head
Eloise Beaumont- Wood – Joey as a Foal / Understudy Emilie/Nell Allan/Private Schanbel/Jenny Bone/Annie Gilbert
Stephen Beckett – Ted Narracott / Colonel Strauss / Understudy Private Manfred
Ike Bennett – David Taylor / Thomas Bone / Understudy Private Geordie
Jo Castleton – Rose Narracott
Owen Dagnall – Private Geordie / Alternate Albert Narracott / Understudy Joey as a Foal/Captain Klebb/Billy Narracott
Alexandra Donnachie – Joey / Topthorn Head
Felicity Donnelly – Joey / Topthorn Hind / The Goose
Sam Goodchild – Joe / Topthorn Hind / The Goose
Danny Hendrix – Veterinary Officer Martin / Roberts / Understudy Colonel Strauss/David Taylor/Thomas Bone/Calvary Captain Friedrich Müller/Sergeant Martin Allan/Chapman Charles Carter
Jasmin Hinds – Matron Callaghan / Shaw / Understudy Rose Narracott/Paulette/Sarah Carter/Nell Allan
Linford Johnson – Sergeant Fine / Understudy David Taylor/Thomas Bone/Captain Stewart/Ludwig/Major James Nicholls/Doctor Schweyk
Andrew Keay – Joey / Topthorn Hind / The Goose
Nicholas Khan – Arthur Narracott / Private Brandt / Understudy Sergeant Thunder/Manfred
Manuel Klein – Calvary Captain Fredrich Müller / Priest
Michael Larcombe – Joey / Topthorn Hind / The Goose / Understudy Joey as a Foal
Matthew Lawrence – Joey / Topthorn Hind
Madeleine Leslay – Paulette / Sarah Carter / Understudy Rose Narracott/The Singer
Wade Lewin – Joey / Topthorn Head
Jack Lord – Private Klausen / Sergeant Allan / Understudy Ted Narracott/Arthur Narracott/Chapman Carter
Damian Lynch – Chapman Carter / Sergeant Thunder / Understudy Colonel Strauss
Lewis McBean – Joey / Topthorn Heart
Chris Milford – Joey / Topthorn Heart / Understudy Major James Nicholls/Doctor Schweyk
Corey Montague-Sholay – Billy Narracott / Captain Klebb / Understudy Albert Narracott/Roberts//Shaw
Jordan Paris – Joey as a Foal / Understudy Private Brandt/Sergeant Allan/Billy Narracott/Sergeant Klebb/Private Schnabel/Captain Charles Stewart/Ludwig
Anne-Marie Piazza – Nell Allan / Private Schnabel / Understudy Joel as a Foal/Matron Callaghan/The Singer
Daniel Rock – Captain Stewart / Ludwig / Understudy Veterinary Office Martin
Simon Stanhope – Manfred / Understudy Ted Narracott/Arthur Narracott/Private Brandt/Priest/Sergeant Thunder
Tom Sturgess – Albert Narracott
Sally Swanson – The Singer
Lucy Thorburn – Jenny Bone / Nurse Annie Gilbert / Understudy Joey as a Foal/Emilie
Chris Williams – Major James Nicholls / Doctor Schweyk / Understudy Private Geordie/Sergeant Fine/Cavalry Captain Fredrich Müller
Niko Wirachman – Joey / Topthorn Heart
Rafe Young – Joey / Topthorn Heart
Author – Michael Morpurgo
Adaptor – Nick Stafford
Director – Tom Morris
Revival Director – Katie Henry
Set and Costume Designer / Drawings – Rae Smith
Puppet Design and Fabrication – Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company
Lighting Designer – Rob Casey
Director of Movement and Horse Choreography – Toby Sedgwick
Puppetry Director – Matthew Forbes
Animation and Projection Design – 59 Studio
Music – Adrian Sutton (1967-2025)
Songmaker – John Tams
Sound Designer – Christpher Shutt
Music Director – Dom Coyote
Casting Director – Jill Green CDG
Fight Director – Paul Benzing
WAR HORSE
National Theatre
16 May to 30 July 2026
