War Horse Launch at The Bristol Hippodrome Review
The Launch of War Horse
at the Bristol Hippodrome
14 January to 15 February 2015
Reviewed by Judy Cera
The National Theatre’s hit show “War Horse” is coming to Bristol in January 2015 to round off its sell-out UK tour. I was lucky enough to be invited to the press launch in Bristol on April 8th. The show will be at The Hippodrome but the launch was held in the nearby and more intimate Old Vic. After a buffet, we were shown into the theatre for a talk and a demonstration of the incredible star of the show – a life sized puppet of a horse.
The story is based on Michael Morpurgo’s novel and is set in the First World War. It tells the tale of the relationship between a young boy, Albert, and Joey the horse. The show was never expected to become such a huge success; it started out as a very experimental idea and everyone was surprised when a show about a puppet horse became so popular!
Joey was made by the Handspring Puppet Company and he is a marvel of engineering. He is made mainly of cane, metal and leather, but he moves exactly like a real horse. Joey is operated by three very skilled puppeteers: one moves the head, one the front legs and the third manipulates the back legs and tail. Or as they put it, the head, the heart and the hind. The three puppeteers answered questions about their role in the show, and how they operate the horse. They have to work as a team because the horse’s movements must look natural, but they cannot speak while the show is on. The three communicate with one another by means of movement and breathing, so that they can co-ordinate the movements of the different parts of the horse’s body. This takes a lot of rehearsal and practice, and also a lot of research – visiting stables to study the way horses move when they walk, trot or gallop. They have spent a long time studying the rhythms of different horse movements and which legs move together.
The horse almost seems to breathe and this is achieved by the movement of its head and body. The ears swivel and move, communicating the changing emotions of the horse during the story. The eyes are remarkably lifelike. They are reflective and they give the impression that Joey is looking at you, no matter where in the audience you are sitting. The tail is attached to two poles and is operated by two levers similar to bicycle brakes; one moves the tail up and down and the other moves it from side to side. The three puppeteers together make the various horse noises and these are remarkably authentic. When asked how it feels to be on stage in the horse puppet during the show, the three men spoke of “total elation and exhaustion” and of the amazing feeling when they take a bow at the end of the show. It is not surprising that they feel exhausted – the horse puppet weighs ten stone, and at times they have to make it rear up on its hind legs with an actor riding it. The puppeteers are so skilled that, although they are visible and you can see that they are moving the puppet, you are fooled into believing that this really is a live horse.
This promises to be an exciting and unforgettable show.
Tickets for the show are on sale now at the Box Office and it is expected to sell out.
Tickets cost from £16.90 to £58.90 (plus £4 transaction fee).
To book tickets visit www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk or call the Box Office 0844 8713012
Bristol Hippodrome, St Augustine’s Parade, Bristol, BS1 4UZ | 0844 8713012