REVIEW: War Horse - National Theatre

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War Horse, which first premiered at the National Theatre in 2007, and has since been seen in over 100 cities in 15 countries, has now made its way back home to the Olivier stage. 

Adapted by Nick Stafford, based on the much loved novel by Michael Morpurgo, it will come as no surprise that all these years later, the production remains a theatrical masterpiece. 

At the outbreak of the First World War, the show follows the story of young Albert’s beloved horse Joey, who is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. Too young to enlist, Albert refuses to forget him, embarking on an extraordinary journey from the fields of rural Devon to the trenches of wartime France – determined to bring Joey home. 

Directed by Tom Morris, with revival director Katie Henry, the production, which is well known for its extensive use of puppetry, has an array of puppets, including vultures, horses, swifts and oh, an outspoken goose. The biggest mention though of course is Joey, the iconic War Horse himself. Bought to life and operated on this occasion by Matthew Lawrence, Lewis McBean and Felicity Donnelly, who all do a superb job. Matthew Forbes Puppetry direction, with Tony Sedgwick’s choreography, enables the production to run smoothly, with slick scene transitions, particularly during the horse scenes between Joey and Topthorn (operated on this occasion by Rianna Ash, Rafe Young and Michael Larcombe). 

Rae Smith’s scenic set design, paired with the visual backdrop, which features animation and projection design by 59 Studio, is so cleverly displayed and really adds to capturing the emotion. One thing I would say is I thought this worked slightly better in the Olivier Theatre space, as opposed to on tour, though with that being said, both were presented brilliantly. 

The show is led by Tom Sturgess as Albert Narracott, who gives a strong and emotional performance. The scenes with Joey in particular which show raw depth in the challenges which had to be faced in war time. Other mentions in this part of the review are Stephen Beckett as Ted Narracott, Anita Adam Gabay as Emilie and Manuel Klein as Calvary Captain Friedrich Müller who give exceptional performances. Jo Castleton as Rose Narracott possesses the emotion you would find in a loving mother whose heart breaks. Castleton’s portrayal comes across stunningly moving. 

The opening night dedicated its performance to late composer Adrian Sutton, who sadly died last year. His spine tingling compositions are simply wonderful for this production. 

War Horse is definitely one of those shows which has you leaving the theatre with both a teary eye and a smile on your face. The entire cast is magnificent! If you haven’t been yet, gallop to get a ticket! You won’t regret it. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

War Horse is running at the National Theatre until Thursday 30 July 2026, with more information at nationaltheatre.org.uk