For me seeing War Horse by National Theatre of London here on stage at Auckland’s Civic Theatre, the highlight by far was the breathtaking puppetry. The music is pretty, the story sweet and the actors able, but the animals – from the swooping birds to the hilarious goose to the magnificent horses – are just breathtaking.
Equine star Joey and co star Topthorne are enormous and imposing – it takes three people to bring each to life as the head, heart, and hind. Never was the swish of a tail or a sideways look so evocative! Nor a prance or a heave so convincingly portrayed through nothing more than disembodied human legs.
It’s when War Horse later shows dying and dead horses that you realise what artistry has gone into bringing the essence of these creatures to life – there’s a painterly touch to which part of the animal is represented and which is not.
Beyond the puppetry, Warhorse’s general stagecraft is impressive. A jagged white banner morphs from galloping Devon hills to barbed wire fences and serves to tell the audience the date or share the contents of a letter.
Gunshot is loud – I jumped! Props are minimal and clever, and puppeteers literally dance across the stage as they swirl those birds in the air.
I’ve never seen anything like War Horse and I feel enriched by the experience – it’s more like watching magic than seeing a play.
Julie Roulston
Photos by Megan Robinson from the Auckland media preview at Civic Theatre Auckland.
June 2019