One month to go until War Horse gallops into Newcastle

There is less than one month to go until the National Theatre’s smash-hit production of War Horse, based on Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel, stops off at Newcastle Theatre Royal (Wed 10 – Sat 20 Sep) on its UK and Ireland tour.

War Horse, adapted by Nick Stafford and originally directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, has become the most successful play in the history of the National Theatre, winning more than 25 major awards and has been seen by over 8.4 million people worldwide. This new tour, ‘one of the greatest theatrical experiences of the 21st century’ (★★★★★ The Stage), is co-produced with Michael Harrison, Fiery Angel, and Playing Field.

War Horse tells the remarkable story of a young boy called Albert and his horse Joey, set against the backdrop of the First World War. This powerfully moving and imaginative drama is a show of phenomenal inventiveness, filled with stirring music and songs, featuring ground-breaking puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings breathing, galloping, charging, horses to thrilling life on stage and has inspired a generation of theatre-makers since its premiere in 2007.

At the outbreak of World War One, Joey, young Albert’s beloved horse, is sold to the Cavalry and shipped to France. He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary journey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land.  Albert, who remained on his parents’ Devon farm, cannot forget Joey. Though still not old enough to enlist he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home. 

Joining the company on the stage at Newcastle Theatre Royal are: Danny Hendrix (101 Dalmatians, UK Tour) as Veterinary Officer Martin, Clara Lioe (The Three Musketeers, New Vic Theatre) as Emilie / Joey as a Foal and Christopher Naylor (The Woman in Black, Fortune Theatre) as Private Klausen / Priest.

Remaining cast members are Rianna Ash (Joey/Topthorn Head), Alexander Ballinger (Captain Friedrich Müller/Allan),  Eloise Beaumont-Wood (Joey as a Foal), Ike Bennett (David Taylor/Thomas Bone), Haydn Burke (Billy Narracott/Sergeant Klebb), Sophie Cartman (Matron Callaghan), Jo Castleton (Rose Narracott), Owen Dagnall (Alternate Albert Narracott / Geordie), Felicity Donnelly (Joey/Topthorn Hind), Tom Gilbey (Sergeant Fine and Movement & Puppetry Captain), Thomas Goodridge (Joey/Topthorn Hind), Karl Haynes (Ted Narracott), Robin Hayward (Joey/Topthorn Heart), Michael Larcombe (Joey/Topthorn Hind), Matthew Lawrence (Joey/Topthorn Head), Madeleine Leslay (Paulette/Sarah Carter), Damian Lynch (Carter/Strauss), Lewis McBean (Joey/Topthorn Heart), Chris Milford (Joey/Tophorn Heart and Co-Fight Captain), Jordan Paris (Joey as a Foal and Co-Fight Captain), Anne-Marie Piazza (Nell Allan/Schnabel and Song Captain), Tea Poldervaart (Joey/Topthorn Head), Tom Quinn (Joey/Topthorn Head), Gareth Radcliffe (Arthur Narracott/Sergeant Thunder), Daniel Rock (Captain Stewart/Ludwig), Simon Stanhope (Manfred), Tom Sturgess (Albert Narracott), Gun Suen (Joey/Topthorn Hind), Sally Swanson (The Singer), Lucy Thorburn (Jenny Bone/Annie Gilbert), Chris Williams (Lieutenant Nicholls/Dr Schweyk and Voice Captain) and Rafe Young (Joey/Topthorn Heart).

This tour of War Horse marks 110 years since the start of the First World War and follows the 40^th anniversary of the publication of Michael Morpurgo’s global best-selling novel, which has now sold over 2 million copies worldwide and in 44 different languages.

Creative development for the tour has been led by Tom Morris with revival director Katie Henry, featuring reimagined designs by Rae Smith and additional music by Adrian Sutton.  Puppet design and fabrication is by Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, lighting design is by Rob Casey, movement and horse choreography is by Toby Sedgwick with puppet direction by Matthew Forbes.  Animation and projection design is by Nicol Scott for 59 Productions, John Tams is songmaker and sound design is by Christopher Shutt.

Casting is by Jill Green CDG. They are joined by associate designer William Fricker and associate costume designer Johanna Coe, associate lighting designer Tom Turner, assistant lighting designer Charly Dunford, music associate Matthew Gough, associate sound designer Rob Bettle, associate sound designer Raffaela Pancucci, musical director Dom Coyote, fight director Paul Benzing, voice coach Carol Fairlamb, dialect coach Rebecca Daltry, associate director Anna Marshall, assistant puppetry director Lewis Howard and dramatherapist Samantha Adams. Casting associates are Olivia Laydon and Tom Shiels.

War Horse received its world premiere on 9 October 2007 at the National Theatre, where it played for two seasons before opening at the New London Theatre in March 2009.  Since then, War Horse has been seen in 100 cities in 14 countries, including productions on Broadway, in Toronto and Berlin, with touring productions in the UK and Ireland, North America, the Netherlands and Belgium.

The National Theatre’s Partner for Financial Wellbeing, Charles Stanley, is supporting War Horse on tour.

War Horse plays Newcastle Theatre Royal (Wed 10 – Sat 20 Sep). Assisted performances are available throughout the run. For more information and to book tickets visit www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/