New cast for fourth year of War Horse

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The giant warhorse puppets involved in the show are each operated by two people who trained hard to make their movements lifelike
The giant warhorse puppets involved in the show are each operated by two people who trained hard to make their movements lifelike

Award winning show is renewed and will continue on into 2013

As it enters its fourth year at the London Theatre, Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse has introduced a new cast from November 16 and is currently taking bookings up to February 16, 2013.

140,000 tickets were released in August for the Laurence Olivier award-winning production, which has been seen by over 1.5 million people world-wide. The Broadway production, which recently opened at the Lincoln Centre’s Vivien Beaumont Theatre, was the winner of six Tony awards including a special award for Handspring Puppet Company.

A further production is due to open in February 2012 at the Princess of Wales theatre in Toronto, while an American tour begins in Los Angeles in June 2012. A Stephen Spielberg film version of War Horse is also expected out later this year.

The production tells a forgotten story of the role of horses in The Great War. At the outbreak of World War One, Joey, young Albert’s beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home.

War Horse has recently enjoyed expansive media coverage, appearing on BBC’s The One Show where the impressive life sized two man puppets were shown. The puppeteers have undergone intense training to ensure the puppets move as realistically as possible. There is also an exhibition at the National Army Museum underway, also shown in this week’s tourism section.

Groups of 10 or more can get £10 off per person for top price tickets, Monday to Thursday.

Group bookings can be made on 0844 412 4650. See https://warhorselondon.nationaltheatre.org.uk