Bjournal are very excited to announce that the National Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of War Horse is doing a major UK tour and is stopping off in Brighton! Hitting Canterbury, Bristol, Liverpool, Oxford, Bradford, Nottingham and our beloved Brighton, the tour coincides with the Centenary commemorations at the end of the First World War. Now, I know what you are thinking, ‘the First World War? But that ended in 1918!’ and you are right to be concerned with my general history knowledge. However, the tour doesn’t actually begin until 2017 and continues into early 2018, which is when it will arrive in Brighton.
That might seem like forever away, but like many theatre shows, tickets go on sale way in advance, and in this case tickets will go on sale for each venue on the 8th February this year. It will be heading to the Brighton Centre from January 25th until February 10th before continuing on its final legs in Bradford and Nottingham.
War Horse has been seen by over seven million people and completes its record-breaking eight year London run in March 2016. The show has won twenty-five awards including the Tony Award for Best Play on Broadway. War Horse is the incredible book written by British Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo in 1982 and has been adapted for stage and screen. The stage show is directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris adapted by Nick Stafford. It received its world premiere on 9th 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 ninety-seven cities in ten countires, including productions in Toronto and Berlin and a Chinese-language production opened in Beijing last year, and is currently running Shanghai. The show features ‘ground-breaking’ puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings the horses to life on stage.
In 1914, a young farm horse named Joey is sold to the army and thrust straight into the Battlefield on the Western Front. With his officer, he witnesses the horror of the frontline with a courage that touches the soldiers around him. The story is one of loyalty, friendship and courage, and something the whole family can enjoy. Michael Morpurgo said ‘After a few months’ rest, out at pasture, Joey, the War Horse and his great team from the National Theatre, will be touring the UK again, from 2017 through to 2018 and the centenary of the end of the First World War, taking their show all over the country, to towns and cities, many of them places War Horse has not been seen before. I am so pleased this is happening; that so many more people will have the chance to enjoy this unique theatrical event. Stead boy, steady Joey. Trot on!’
Holly Martin
holly@brightonjournal.co.uk
all images belong to the National Theatre
