Theatre

War Horse 🐴

Aidan Taylor

— 3 min read
War Horse 🐴

Leeds Grand Theatre.

This week, I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the Press Night for War Horse Presented by National Theatre Productions Limited at the Leeds Grand Theatre in Leeds. A special thank you to Kelly for this invitation.

The National Theatre’s War Horse is nothing short of a theatrical masterpiece. From the moment the curtain rose, the audience was transported from a Devonshire farm to the brutal trenches of the First World War, guided by a story that is as heart-rending as it is hopeful.

At the centre of this extraordinary production is the bond between Albert Narracott played by Tom Sturgess and his beloved horse Joey. Their friendship, forged in innocence, becomes the emotional anchor of the play.

When Joey is sold to the British Army and sent to France, Albert’s determination to find him propels the drama forward with both urgency and poignancy.

The staging is simply breathtaking. The torn backdrop filled with animated drawings and projections creates a living scrapbook of war, seamlessly blending with the live action on stage. This ingenious use of visual storytelling allows the production to evoke sweeping landscapes, chaotic battlefields and quiet, tender moments without overshadowing the human performances.

Of course, the puppetry is the true star of the show. Joey and the other horses are brought to life with such astonishing realism that you quickly forget they are crafted from wood and leather. Every flick of an ear, shiver of muscle and stomp of a hoof feels authentic. The puppeteers deserve the highest praise, theirs is some of the most skilful and moving stage work I have ever witnessed.

To experience War Horse live is to witness theatre at its most profound and unforgettable. I spent much of the performance quietly sobbing in my seat, overwhelmed by the sheer emotional force of what unfolded before me. Quite simply, War Horse is the most extraordinary piece of theatre I have ever seen. A triumph of storytelling, stagecraft and human artistry.

War Horse is on tour at Leeds Grand Theatre from the 25th of August to the 6th of September 2025. Tickets are available now, and you can buy your tickets here.

I’d highly recommend seeing it. It’s a breathtaking, emotionally charged production that stays with you long after the curtain falls.

Banner for "War Horse" UK & Ireland tour. Features horse puppet with three handlers, glowing lights, and text: "An extraordinary piece of theatre."
A hand holds a War Horse theatre programme against a blurred background of bookshelves. The programme is black with the title "War Horse" in bold orange letters, featuring silhouettes of galloping horses and riders.
A hand holds a War Horse theatre programme against a blurred background of bookshelves. The programme is black with the title "War Horse" in bold orange letters, featuring silhouettes of galloping horses and riders.
The stage of a theatre before a performance of War Horse. A large torn parchment-style screen hangs at the centre, lit against the dark stage. Audience members are seated in the foreground, waiting for the show to begin.
The stage of a theatre before a performance of War Horse. A large torn parchment-style screen hangs at the centre, lit against the dark stage. Audience members are seated in the foreground, waiting for the show to begin.
A hand holds the 40th anniversary edition of War Horse by Michael Morpurgo. The white cover shows a black horse’s head with barbed wire across the design. Bookshelves filled with colourful spines are blurred in the background.
A hand holds the 40th anniversary edition of War Horse by Michael Morpurgo. The white cover shows a black horse’s head with barbed wire across the design. Bookshelves filled with colourful spines are blurred in the background.

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