EMBARGOED UNTIL 10am, TUESDAY 2 OCTOBER 2012
FIRST TOUR OF UK AND IRELAND FOR NATIONAL
THEATRE’S ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION OF WAR
HORSE
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Opens in Devon, setting and inspiration for War Horse
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Eight UK venues nationwide from September 2013 – July 2014
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Touring to Dublin in March 2014
It was announced today (2 October 2012) that the National Theatre’s award-winning
production of War Horse begins a ten month, nine-venue tour of the UK and Ireland on 27
September 2013.
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 the 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. We’re particularly pleased to be
opening the tour in Michael Morpurgo’s home county of Devon, the birthplace of his awardwinning novel.’
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, 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.
The Canadian production opened to critical acclaim in Toronto in February 2012, where it
continues to play, while a North American tour began in Los Angeles in June 2012 and will
visit 27 cities in its first year, with future productions planned for Australia, opening in
December 2012 and Berlin where it opens in October 2013.
Michael Morpurgo has written over 100 books and was Children’s Laureate from 2003 2005. A major feature film of War Horse, based on his 1982 novel and directed by Stephen
Spielberg, was nominated for six Academy Awards in 2011.
War Horse is produced on tour by the National Theatre - www.warhorseonstage.com
Date of issue: 2 October 2012
For further information please contact Nada Zakula, Head of Press & Communications
– War Horse, on 020 7452 3046 / 07831 766 086 or nzakula@nationaltheatre.org.uk
UK and Ireland Tour dates
Theatre Royal, Plymouth
27 September – 12 October 2013
Birmingham Hippodrome
17 October – 9 November 2013
The Lowry, Salford Quays
20 November 2013 – 18 January 2014
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh
22 January – 15 February 2014
The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
19 February – 15 March 2014
Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin
26 March – 26 April 2014
Sunderland Empire
30 April – 17 May 2014
Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
26 May – 14 June 2014
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff/
Canolfan Mileniwn Cymru
18 June – 19 July 2014
Notes to Editors
Photographs available from Nada Zakula on nzakula@nationaltheatre.org.uk
Booking and on sale dates available from individual tour venues.
Photographs by Brinkhoff/Mögenburg
About the National Theatre
The National Theatre of Great Britain is dedicated to the constant revitalisation of the great
traditions of the British stage and to expanding the horizons of audiences and artists alike.
Founded in 1963, and established on the South Bank in London in 1976, the National Theatre
strives to be a national centre of theatrical arts, central to the creative life of the country and
unmatched in the world for scale, range of repertoire and audience reach. The National
stages over 20 new productions each year in one of its three South Bank theatres — the
Olivier, the Lyttelton and the Cottesloe – and transfers popular shows to the West End as well
as touring productions around the UK and internationally. In 2011-12, the paying audience
for National Theatre productions reached 2.3million people worldwide, through attendances
on the South Bank, in the West End and internationally, on tour and through National Theatre
Live, the digital broadcast of live performances to cinema screens all over the world.
The National’s production of War Horse is currently in the West End, New York, Toronto and on
tour in North America, with other productions planned worldwide. One Man, Two Guvnors also
continues in the West End, with a new UK and international tour starting in October 2012.