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Until Feb 16 2013 New London Theatre, Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5PQ Full details & map

Theatre: West End

Critics' choiceFamily friendly

Time Out says   6 Users say 5/5 Rate it

Posted: Thu Apr 23 2009

'War Horse' isn't perfect. Let's just get that out of the way. The hype - it's been a massive critical and popular hit - doesn't help it. It's a lovely piece of family theatre, based on Michael Morpurgo's novel about a horse separated from his young Devonshire master and spirited off to World War I. Bereft Albert duly signs up, to seek Joey in the mud and carnage of Flanders. But it's harder on stage than in a children's novel to relate to our doting hero who, after years spent watching his friends blown to smithereens, still prioritises his beloved nag.

Mind you, I admire Kit Harington's introverted performance in the leading role: it's unusual to have a hero so withheld and unshowy. All the attention here, of course, is hogged by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler's puppet horses. Each visibly manipulated by three actors, these plywood and leather frames become astonishingly expressive beasts, notably in one wholly equine sequence, in which Joey and his new cavalry colleague Topthorn meet and size each other up.

The show, by Tom Morris and Marianne Elliott, is practically a love letter to these objects - the display of technique sometimes takes precedence over the story. The lifelike horses also incline proceedings towards literalism, which reaches its peak when a tank lumbers on stage halfway through the war. But the story's wide sweep (which steeplechases over a few credibility gaps) is effectively evoked by Rae Smith's sketched backdrops, displayed on a white strip torn across the upstage wall. And there's warmly resonant song and accordion work from composer Adrian Sutton. All in all, this is thoroughbred theatre.

London puppetry: who's pulling the strings?

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New London Theatre, Drury Lane, London WC2B 5PQ

New London Theatre

With New London being a relatively young theatre (doors opened in 1973), it's no surprise that musicals are the mainstay. Andrew Lloyd Webber...

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Transport Covent Garden 

Telephone

020 7492 1561

http://www.warhorselondon.com

Mon-Sat 7.30pm (Tue 7pm); Thur, Sat Mats 2.30pm

£15-£55. Runs 2hr 35min. Booking to Feb 16 2013

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Comments & ratings 5/5 (Average of 6 ratings)

Jackie White
By Jackie - Dec 31 2011
5/5

Best show I have ever seen. It should be a must for everyone

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Caroline McGinn
By Caroline - Sep 15 2011

Ticket prices are under the New London Theatre Details header on this page; £15-£55. That range does not include premium seats which are good stalls seats sold at short notice for £85. Weekday night tickets are cheaper than popular Saturday nights.

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By Dean - Aug 29 2011
5/5

Excellent Animatronics but a slight deviation from the storyline of the book.

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By Maleeka Valentine - Oct 7 2010

Check out the first show of Hampstead Theatre's new season, Enlightenment http://bit.ly/9LyOz3

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By Nancy - Apr 10 2010

ticket price?

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By Eliza & Nancy - Apr 10 2010

how much are the tickets

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