The National Theatre’s new production of War Horse has opened at the New Wimbledon Theatre in London in the first stop on its UK and Ireland Tour.
The new tour marks 110 years since the start of the First World War and follows the 40th anniversary of Michael Morpurgo’s global best-selling novel, War Horse, which has sold over two million copies worldwide and been published in 44 different languages.
The story, which made its premiere in the theatre in 2007, was originally adapted for the stage by Nick Stafford and went on to become the most successful play in the history of the National Theatre.
It won more than 25 awards, including a Tony award for best play, and has been watched by over eight million people. The new tour is co-produced by Michael Harrison, Fiery Angel and Playing Field.
The new tour will perform at 21 venues across the UK and Ireland between now and November 2025.
The story
War Horse, which is set among the backdrop of the First World War, uses masterful puppetry work to tell the story of a young boy called Albert and his relationship with his horse Joey.
At the outbreak of World War One, Joey is sold to the British Cavalry and shipped to France.
The horse is soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary journey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land.
Albert, who remained on his parents’ Devon farm, cannot forget Joey and embarks on a treacherous mission to find his horse and bring him home.
War Horse is described as being a “powerfully moving and imaginative drama”.
“A show of phenomenal inventiveness, filled with stirring music and songs, featuring ground-breaking puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings breathing, galloping, charging, horses to thrilling life on stage and has inspired a generation of theatre-makers since its premiere in 2007.”
War Horse tour dates
War Horse is playing at the following theatres during its tour:
New Wimbledon Theatre: until 14 September 2024
The Lowry, Salford: 18 – 28 September 2024
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton: 8 – 19 October 2024
The Marlowe, Canterbury: 22 October – 2 November 2024
Sunderland Empire: 5 – 16 November 2024
Theatre Royal Plymouth: 26 November – 7 December 2024
New Theatre Oxford: 10 December 2024 – 4 January 2025
New Victoria Theatre, Woking: 14 – 25 January 2025
Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin: 29 January – 1 February 2025
Grand Opera House, Belfast: 4 – 15 February 2025
The Regent Theatre, Stoke: 4 – 8 March 2025
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre: 11 – 22 March 2025
Theatre Royal Glasgow: 25 March – 5 April 2025
Liverpool Empire: 8 – 19 April
Milton Keynes Theatre: 22 April – 3 May 2025
Nottingham Royal Concert Hall: 7 – 17 May 2025
Bristol Hippodrome: 3 – 21 June 2025
Leeds Grand Theatre: 19 August – 6 September 2025
Edinburgh Festival Theatre: 2 – 11 October 2025
Wales Millennium Centre: 15 – 25 October 2025
Norwich Theatre Royal: 28 October – 8 November 2025
Book tickets
To book tickets for War Horse visit WarHorseOnStage.com.
