I went to see a puppet show last week, now I know this may conjure up images of seaside Punch and Judy or a muppet show spectacle but although the show, War Horse, does feature puppets it’s certainly no joke on the stage.

War Horse, an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Michael Morpurgo, is currently showing at New London Theatre in the West End and is the latest in a line of National Theatre productions that have earned the company a reputation for producing some of the best family shows on the stage. 

Previous shows have included the popular shows of His Dark Materials, an adaptation of Phillip Pullman’s trilogy, and Coram Boy which both received positive reviews. Having seen a National Theatre production before, let us say that War Horse certainly had a lot to live up to.

War Horse tells the story through the eyes of Joey, a horse who is shipped off to work for the cavalry division in the First World War, and his master Albert who enlists in the army in order to find his beloved horse.

 Of course you may have spotted a small flaw in adapting this for the stage. Surely it is impossible to put a fully grown horse on the stage and have it as the central character? Putting an actual horse on the stage would likely be a fiasco and this is where the puppetry comes in, but this is no ordinary puppetry, this is a puppet from the Handspring Puppet Company.

The horse puppet for War Horse does not aim for realism but instead features a wooden framework with a translucent skin that manages to capture the energy and gracefulness of an equine entity. The mobility in the puppet is fantastic and the character is entirely believable.

The performances in the show were absolutely stellar and really brought the whole story to life, and although we went to see it so that our boys could have a trip to the theatre, it was completely enjoyed by all which just goes to show that this is more than just a puppet show for kids; it’s a highly powerful and emotive story that captures the entire audience.



Now showing at New London Theatre in the West End.