War Horse and the Olivier stage feel inseparable. Vast, cinematic and emotionally engaging, this is epic storytelling exactly as theatre should be experienced.
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What’s it about?
Based on Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel, War Horse follows young Albert and his horse Joey as they are torn apart by the outbreak of the First World War. As Joey is passed between cavalry officers, soldiers and farmers across war-torn Europe, Albert embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him home.
What we loved best
The National Theatre’s Olivier stage was made for this production. The sheer scale of the theatre allows the story to breathe in a way few theatres could manage, giving the life-sized horses room to thunder across the stage with extraordinary realism and emotional impact.
The puppetry remains one of the great achievements of modern theatre. The Handspring Puppet Company designs are astonishing — skeletal yet deeply expressive — while the puppeteers inject every flicker, breath and movement with genuine life. Before long, you stop seeing puppets altogether and simply believe in the horses.
Tom Sturgess is perfectly cast as Albert delivering a deeply touching performance. His unwavering love for Joey gives the production its heart, ensuring the story never disappears beneath the scale of the staging.
A special mention too for Alexander Ballinger who plays German soldier Friedrich Müller, whose performance beautifully captures the confusion and humanity of a man trapped in a war he cannot truly comprehend.
The production’s technical elements are equally remarkable. Lighting, sound and projection combine to bring the horror of war frighteningly close, from explosive battle sequences to quieter moments of love and loss. The Olivier’s cavernous space amplifies every effect.
And of course — the goose nearly steals the show.
Anything we would change?
Nothing. This feels like a production perfectly matched to both its material and the vast scale of the Olivier Theatre.
Who would enjoy this?
If you have never seen War Horse, this is the perfect production to experience the full magic of theatre. Families, first-time theatre-goers and seasoned theatre audiences alike will find themselves completely absorbed.
Who created it?
Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo and adapted by Nick Stafford. Directed by Tom Morris with revival direction by Katie Henry. Puppetry designed and fabricated by the Handspring Puppet Company. Set and costume design by Rae Smith, lighting design by Rob Casey, movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick, music by Adrian Sutton and sound design by Christopher Shutt.