Review: WAR HORSE at National Theatre

Stuart King 3 June, 2026, 03:02

Since it began life, WAR HORSE has itself become something of a warhorse, with multiple outings at the National Theatre where it premiered in 2007, plus an extended West End run of 3000 performances at the Gillian Lynne, (formerly the New London) and both National and International tours. Its homecoming to the Olivier on the Southbank, provides National Theatre patrons with another opportunity to witness the mighty equine's achievements and the stagecraft of those charged with bringing the production to life. So, is it worth a revisit? Hell yeah!

Jo Castleton, Tom Sturgess, and Joey in War Horse 2026 at the National Theatre. © Brinkhoff-Moegenburg

Renowned for the inventive and innovative puppetry, created by Adrian Kohler and the magicians at Handspring, the story is an unashamed tearjerker and follows the foal which is won at an auction where he is fought over by estranged brothers and subsequently beloved by the son of the farmer who has blown the mortgage money on achieving a bidding victory against his sibling.

Through compassion, patience and love, a bond of trust forms between Albert Narracott (Tom Sturgess) and the young horse whom he names Joey. Later amidst the looming spectre of the First World War, the boy's father sells Joey for the sum of £100 to a cavalry officer Major James Nicholls (Chris Williams) a member of the ill-fated Devonshire regiment. This he does as his patriotic contribution to King and Country, but neither his wife Rose (Jo Castelton) nor his son, see the gesture as anything more than greed. Even the gift of a bicycle as an attempt to console Albert, falls flat. When the killed-in-action Major's sketch book (which includes drawings of Joey) arrives addressed to their boy, he is bereft and despite being underage, runs away to enlist, in a bid to track down and be reunited with his charge.

As much a “horror of war” yarn, as a love letter to the bond and understanding which can develop between a horse and rider when they respect and care for each other, the show doesn't hold back in conveying the miserable spectacle of conflict. The white cyc slash which dominates the set backdrop, is used to good effect, one moment used to project drawings and sketches of rolling Devonshire countryside, the next, fields of barbed wire, horrifying detonations, and the rotting corpses of The Somme. It can be a hard and upsetting watch at times but the constant movement and changes in theme and tempo, ensure that the evening flies by in a flurry of emotion and engagement with the extraordinary story which is based on Michael Morpurgo's original.

The cast of players led by Sturgess, work seamlessly with their talented and extraordinarily skilled puppeteering colleagues who exact every tail flick, ear twitch, nostril snort, goose hiss and carrion stab, with finesse and exactitude to ensure wholesale visual engagement with the beasts as real living creatures worthy of our respect and consideration.

The show stands as a rip-roaring and astounding achievement in theatre and (bizarrely) looks fresher and more vibrant than it did nearly 20 years ago. The messages about war and cruelty which underpin the production, are there in spades for anyone who wants to see them. Perhaps this one, simple, salient fact, will serve as a significant statistic among the many other horrors of The Great War: Approx one million horses were taken across the English Channel to France during the course of the conflict as part of the British military effort. A mere 62,000 returned.

WAR HORSE runs 2 hours and 45 mins with interval and continues at the Olivier, National Theatre until 30th July.

War Horse Tickets