War Horse at The Bristol Hippodrome review

Posted on: 2017-10-19

Our rating:

In this production, associate directors of The National Theatre Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, make an unbeatable team – with a plethora of accolades, including a Tony Award for Best Director, under their belts.


The National Theatre has a place in every theatre goers heart, after astounding productions such as ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog at Night Time’ and ‘Jane Eyre’. But maybe the most famous of all it’s productions – the critically acclaimed ‘War Horse’ - has finally come to Bristol.

***GET TICKETS HERE***

On it’s opening night at The Hippodrome, the excitement is palpable and why wouldn’t it be? The writer of the original novel Michael Morpurgo spurned a story so compelling and heartwrenching it’s become not only a hit play, but also a major motion picture directed by the one and only Stephen Spielberg.

War Horse Bristol

In this production, associate directors of The National Theatre Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, make an unbeatable team – with a plethora of accolades, including a Tony Award for Best Director, under their belts.  

 

For those unfamiliar with the story, country boy Albert is bought a spirited young horse, Joey, by his drunken father, with money that was meant for the mortgage payments. Knowing that he has to earn his keep, he teaches the horse to plough and they form an unbreakable bond.

 

However when World War One breaks out and the army are paying handsomely for good horses – Joey is sold to the cavalry. Albert, not able to forget his best friend, heads out to find him, and they both embark on a harrowing and incredible adventure.

 

The centre of this show, obviously, are the puppeteers and their magnificent horses. Starting out as a nervous young horse, when Joey bursts on stage as a full grown adult, the effect is breath-taking. The puppets designed by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company have flicking tails and ears, bendable ,kicking back legs, and heaving chests. They are galloping, whinnying, braying tender and strong creatures and when you’re barely ten minutes into the production you simply forget they aren’t real.

War Horse Bristol

The set is simple and rustic, and the use of lighting and sound take you from the rolling hills of a Devon farm (complete with a very cheeky goose, who raised a few laughs) to the muddy, blood ridden fields of war torn France. The music and score vary from a hearty folk vocal and accordion in the village, to huge orchestral crescendos in The Somme.

 

A theme to note was the juxtaposition of pure beautiful nature and the fragility of human life, against the harsh mechanical devastation of the barbed wire, machine guns and mustard gas of the war. It’s subtle and poignant, with a respectful nod to the young men who suffered amputations, PTSD and laid down their lives, slowly marching into no man’s land as well as the heartbroken parents and loved ones they left behind. It’s not all doom and gloom however, as there are some beautiful moments of human compassion and deep friendships formed.

 

The running time is 2 hours 45 minutes, including a 20 minute interval – but honestly, I blinked, shed a few tears and it was over. From opening night on the 18th October, War Horse runs all the way to 11th November (Armistice day) with 4 Saturday matinee Audio described performances. At a time when talk of war is seemingly imminent, the hope and reflection you’ll find in War Horse has never seemed more relevant. Get your tickets here.

 



Article by:

Talicza Stevens

Talicza has only lived in Bristol for three years, but has been reviewing gigs, shows and albums for decades as well as writing her own true crime podcast Transatlantic Crime.