War Horse was a very entertaining play! Every aspect of Mise en Scene was above and beyond normal expectations. The puppets were very detailed and intricate. Initially, I believed that the puppets were just going to be actors moving around a puppet in a mechanical manner. In War Horse, the actors connected with the Horse puppets, which is what made it a true theatrical performance. The stagehands gave life and personality to the Horses and other farm animals onstage, such as the comical goose and the birds, which is what exhibited more emotion in the audience. They also helped animate and interact with the set, such as the trenches and stables. By the end of the play, there was not a dry eye in the house.
The Set design was simple, minus a projector in the background, which paralleled similarly to the protagonists' ripped parchment of his horse, Joey (who was also a protagonist). One of the parts I enjoyed was when the young major, who had idealistic hopes and fantasies for the war, was sketching in his bound leather journal and as he was sketching, the same design appeared in the background. Besides the projector, the rest of the set was empty, which was good, since it allowed the audience to focus more on the Horses and the principal characters.
One of the components I enjoyed was the music of War Horse. I am in favor of Irish music such as the fiddle, and the singer was phenomenal. I believe his singing tied extreme moods together, in order for the audience to see the bitter realities of war, but also that their is always hope in dark times. The music also allowed the audience to appreciate the more optimistic comical parts of the performance. The costumes also were a fantastic way to set the time period! Not just the military uniforms and weapons, but also the costumes that Albert and other characters were dressed in before the war. The Acting was very good as well, including the horses. They seemed to be very connected to the horses, which in return, made the audience see them as no longer puppets, but animals. At first the play seemed skeptical with the puppets but in the end, the performance needed the puppets, which made the performance unique, and allowed the audience to gain something from the invoking message that the play conveys. The Bonus was that the audience was able to get a free pin!
- Lauren Lopez :)
Your description of the puppetry used in this production is spot on Lauren. I felt from the very beginning that the puppets were fantastic and indeed an intricate part of the production. The fact that you could see the horses "breathing" and see the "shine" in their eyes attests to the thought and skill put into the puppets by the puppeteers and their company. The animals seemed very much alive!
ReplyDeleteI also liked your interpretation of the backdrop as being similar to the strip of paper Albert ripped out of the sketch book; it is a different interpretation that what initially came to my mind. I thought that the simplicity of backdrop lent itself to the time of WW1 when resources were scarce in war-torn England and Europe in general.
-James
I am particularly impressed with the 'speed' with which you posted these comments. Not only is it a clear and vibrant response to this performance but it also well written, with an excellent turn of phrase. So pleased with this response and so glad you enjoyed it. Dr Q
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