War Horse
War Horse has galloped into the New Wimbledon Theatre and within minutes, I understood why this show continues to echo across the decades. More than a play, more than puppetry, War Horse is an emotional experience that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.
It starts with Joey the foal, his skeletal frame and raw movements initially feel alien. But within seconds, something shifts. A tilt of the head, the twitch of an ear, a shudder of fear and suddenly, Joey isn’t a puppet, he’s a horse, living and breathing on stage brought to life by three puppeteers. Younger Joey, Eloise Beaumont-Wood (Head) Clara Lioe (Heart) Jordan Paris (Hind) and older Joey, Rianna Ash (Head) Chris Milford (Heart) and Samuel Parker (Hind).
The puppeteers are masterful and incredibly controlled. The level of detail in every movement is breath-taking. You don’t just watch Joey, you feel his weight in the soil and his muscles straining as the story intensifies. The sounds of Joey and the other animals are so realistic adding to the magic and Joey’s journey from plough horse to war survivor is incredible and more eloquent than any dialogue. Topthorn is the other star of the show, Tom Quinn (Head) Michael Jean-Marain (Heart) Michael Larcombe (Hind). I can’t even begin to imagine how hard each performer is working to make the motion seamless.
Tom Sturgess as Albert Narracott delivers a performance full of sincerity and truth. His transformation from boy to soldier is grounded in emotional truth and he has the audience in the palm of his hand from the very beginning. When he whistles for Joey in the second act, you can hear the audience collectively hold its breath in anticipation. Jo Castleton’s Rose Narracott, Albert’s mother, adds warmth and steel to the Devon farm scenes Sally Swanson (Singer) has a gorgeous folk voice helping to push the story on, adding light hearted musical moments and some light relief to an emotionally charged script. The live folk music, the haunting solo’s, the silence between shellfire, every choice is deliberate. Adrian Sutton’s score isn’t there to decorate it’s there to say what the words can’t.
At times, the quiet was so deep you could hear people crying. It is evident with such a large cast, each cast member is a team player and vital to the success of the show. Tom Morris (Director) and Katie Henry (Revival Director) Have worked very hard in making sure every detail is clear and concise, it truly is a must see masterpiece and that is largely down to the intense rehearsal period and the creative vision.
The minimal set is perfect, a dark stage with a jagged strip of parchment overhead, ever changing to fit the action on stage. Projections flicker like ghosts. Mud becomes cloth. The boundaries between the literal and the symbolic are always shifting adding to the beauty of the action. The way the show handles violence is notable. There’s no blood or gore but when horse’s scream, when soldiers fall, your chest tightens and it’s so realistic. It’s not what you see, it’s what you feel. This isn’t just a World War one story it’s a story about innocence lost, loyalty tested, the cost of pride, the cruelty of bureaucracy, the wonder of connection and above all, it reminds us that empathy, human or animal is the only thing that endures.
In a world that’s still so often divided, War Horse feels more relevant than ever and this heart wrenching production will touch you.
This experience was reviewed on the 6th August 2025 at New Wimbledon Theatre, London where it runs until the 16th August 2025. Tickets here: War Horse Tickets | New Wimbledon Theatre in Wimbledon | ATG Tickets
You can see the show on tour : War Horse | UK & Ireland Tour | Official Play Website
Review written by Sam Sadler
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Photo credit : Brinkhoff-Moegenburg
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