HIT STAGE SHOW WAR HORSE HEADS TO PLYMOUTH AND CARDIFF FOR FIRST EVER UK TOUR
The National Theatre’s award-winning production of War Horse will come to Wales as it embarks on a ten month, nine-venue tour of the UK and Ireland. The tour will begin on 27 September 2013, opening at Plymouth Theatre Royal on 27 September – 12 October, 2013, and visiting Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, on 18 June – 19 July 2014.
Seen by over 2.4 million people worldwide since its premiere at the National Theatre in 2007, War Horse will visit the Theatre Royal, Plymouth, Birmingham Hippodrome; The Lowry in Salford Quays, the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh; The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton; Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin, Sunderland Empire; the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford and Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff.
National Theatre producer Chris Harper said, “We are delighted that our production of War Horse will soon be touring the UK and visiting Dublin and we are particularly thrilled that the tour opens at in Devon, where the play is set. As well as London, New York, a US tour and Australia, War Horse finally comes home.”
Conrad Lynch, Artistic Director of Wales Millennium Centre says, “We’ve been eagerly awaiting the UK tour of War Horse here at the Centre after its huge success at The National Theatre, in the West End and on Broadway. I am thrilled to announce that this epic production will be coming to Cardiff as part of a series of events that will take place across Wales to mark the centenary of World War 1 in 2014, our tenth year.”
War Horse is the powerful story of a young boy called Albert and his beloved horse, Joey, who has been requisitioned to fight for the English in World War I. Caught in enemy crossfire, Joey ends up serving on both sides during the war before landing in no man’s land, while Albert, not old enough to enlist, embarks on a treacherous mission to find his horse and bring him home. A remarkable tale of courage, loyalty and friendship, War Horse features ground-breaking puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings breathing and galloping horses to life on stage.
War Horse is based on a novel by Michael Morpurgo, adapted by Nick Stafford and presented in association with Handspring Puppet Company. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, currently Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic, it is designed by Rae Smith, lighting is by Paule Constable and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick. The puppetry directors are Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler, with video design by 59 Productions Ltd, song-making by John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt.
Now in its fourth year in London’s West End, War Horse consistently attracts sell-out houses at the New London Theatre. The Broadway production, which continues its run at the Lincoln Center until 6 January 2013, was the winner of six Tony Awards, including ‘Best Play’ and a ‘Special Tony Award’ for Handspring Puppet Company.
More info at www.warhorseonstage.com
(Photo: Brinkhoff Mögenburg)
