About a Play

Significantly better than the movie, the play WAR HORSE features amazing puppetry.  (And far fewer "sappy" moments than Spielberg's movie.)  The young men working the horse puppets really knew what they were doing, from a horse's point of view.  WOW.  I've watched all kinds of horses, closely, for many years.  These were obvious puppets (in a larger-than-life way), but they became so lifelike, so real....I was enchanted.  I read that Monty Roberts worked with the original cast.  They were city-boys in England, who'd never been around horses.  During his first week with them, Monty just hoped for "a short run, quick closing, and not total embarassment"....but before the second week was over, the young men learned how to "speak Equus," and the play blossomed into a real treat.  In this county, War Horse earned several Tony awards, including Best Play.  This play is a "spectacle," with acting taking a backseat to the staging of the story, but the touring production does not disappoint. Wonderful stuff!

"Joey" as a colt was charming...but when he grew up, he was amazing. 

WAR HORSE is a play with great puppetry, wonderful staging, amazing lighting and sound effects, and a moving anti-war story, all rolled into one.   Splendid.