WarHorse

Seville

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If you do nothing else this year, and are looking for something to do for the New Year, please go and see WarHorse, playing in Drury Lane, London.
I went yesterday (major train journey) and words fail me.
Take plenty of resolve and tissues...the resolve won't do you any good whatsover, but the tissues will.
Its the most amazing productiuon and hats off to the cast.
 
I went in October last year and thought it was amazing, I'd love to go again but it takes me about 6-8hours to get to London

Im going to Olympia so will see some of it :D

Even my 'unhorsey', 'unhistory', 'hates-plays-unless-its-a-musical', Mam loved it :)
 
Second that -it is fab. MIL bought us tickets for Christmas and we saw it in the summer. I blubbed most of the way through. Its amazing how you just stop seeing the pupeteers and just see a horse. I'd love my horses to meet the main puppet and see how they react cos he's very realistic :)
 
I agree. I went last week and was completely blown away by how brilliant it was. Even my friend who came with me and isn't remotely "horsey" thought it was wonderful. Whoever designed the puppets must have done an enormous amount of research into how a horse "works", the front legs are just so right and the ears . . . . .
 
We went this year and WOW... I remember my mum and I reading the book when I was in primary school and not being able to read more than a paragraph a night on occasions especially not without using up a box of tissues!!

I simply cannot wait to see the film; with Spielberg directing it, it is simply going to be amazing. I hope Kleenex are sponsoring it lol!

It's handy too as I work at Exeter airport in Devon, we know when a lot of the filming has taken place as Spielberg's private jet is here :)
 
I agree, an outstanding production... you cannot take your eyes off the puppets... even when they are not particularly featuring... the attention to detail from the puppeteers is amazing. I'm still wondering how I could have found a foal with stiff wooden legs so life-like? :D

As an aside... a horse I loaned for 3 months earlier this year is currently being used as an extra in the War Horse film that is currently being made in the West Country and he is earning £250 per DAY!!!!
 
Well, reading your replies was a real "wow" moment because it sounds as though the immediate reactions are all the same...it wasn't just me and my friend who stopped seeing the puppeteers!
A man sitting next to my friend was openly sobbing, and I found the very sight of the puppets was enough to make me emotional.



A defining moment for me was >>>>>>BEWARE SPOILER>>>>>>>




When Copthorne died and the three puppeteers withdrew from the puppet in unison and melted away into the dark, and you just KNEW that the life had left him.
I understand that the puppeteers had spent time with Monty Roberts and at the Royal Vet college, but what a fantatic job! And whoever said " we are going to do this childrens book but we aren't going to use narration from the horse and we are going to use no scenery just framework puppets" was inspired..
I am not sure I'd want to see a Speilberg production now....to use real horses I think will have less appeal...the imagery and representation of those incredible framework puppets got the impact across more than a film I think....well, for me anyway but its an individual thing and those of you lucky enough to be in situ when its filmed I hope will enjoy it.
You have to admit though......the goose was fantastic too.....................
 
My OH's mum got us tickets for his birthday - and you really do need the tissues. My OH is autistic and has aspergers so we were worried how he would cope with the puppets - because he finds things like that difficult but even he was able to buy into them being real horses (horses are very special to him - they 'unlock' him if that makes sense).

I cried like a baby, esp. at the Topthorn moment mentioned - it was incredibly realistic and the mannerisms of the horses was wonderful...

I cannot recommend it enough - they have done a wonderful job!!!

Welling up just remembering it! x
 
Oh it is the best thing I have ever seen on stage, I also don't want it Speilberg-ed.
I bought the audiobook for my Ipod, cried at that too, and also bought the soundtrack, some of the tracks were part of my poo picking theme music this summer
 
I'm not sure I will be able to cope with the movie version though, I have a horrible feeling that it is going to be far too realistic even if I know, at the back of my mind, that it is computer graphics. With the limitations of what can be done on stage, the play is bearable although my non-horsey friend said she couldn't watch when Joey gets caught up in the wire. I was flinching at that too as I've had that happen to a horse of mine.
 
I was lucky enough to see this last year. Would love to go and see it again. And again. And again... Wonderful production, so cleverly done.
 
Have been to see it twice - once with Mum and we were in tears within the first five minutes. Second time on my birthday with 'manly' unhorsey OH, who I spotted surreptitiously wiping his eyes at the Topthorne moment *and* at the end. My mum also took my *very* unhorsey dad to see it and he was blubbering like a baby and exchanging tissues with the big tattooed man sitting next to him.
 
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