Two Thumbs Up, Ebert and Roeper

            On September 5^th, 2011, the entire program travelled to the New London Theatre to catch our first required play, War Horse. War Horse is based on the relationship between a horse named Joey and his owner Albert and follows the relentless pursuit of Albert, a boy from southwest England, in his endeavor to retain his beloved horse Joey. Initially, I was uninterested in the play because of my belief that the plot was childish and boring. In addition, I favored movies to plays because I was more accustomed to them. By the end of the play, I was simply in awe of the perfection in the execution of the production.

            War Horse encompasses technology and expertise obtained from successful plays in the past to create an eye pleasing and thought provoking play. First, the construction and choreography of the horses allowed for movements and characteristics only shown by real horses. I was fascinated with the masterful creation of the puppets and how realistic the horses appeared on-stage as only the lack of horse manure assured me that they were indeed only replicas. Due to the masterful creation of the puppets that allowed for actors to control the horse, intricate choreography was incorporated to further establish the authenticity of the puppet. Secondly, the lighting and music created different settings ranging from a farm to a battlefield. I was amazed with how well the stage transitioned into different sceneries as a result of changing the exposure of light. The musical soundtrack, which consisted largely of triumphant chants and ballads, characterized the various armies during the time period of the play. These technical aspects triggered a submersion of myself into the character’s shoes and produced a greater appreciation for the play.

            Despite my initial uncertainty of War Horse, I left the theatre thoroughly impressed and satisfied with my first British play production. Through a series of emotionally driven scenes, War Horse evoked feelings of optimism and excitement but also grief and sorrow. As a result, I noticed rounds of sniffles throughout the theatre, resonating the attachment and compassion the audience developed for the characters. 

                                                Film version of War Horse

          My favorite scene in the play was when Joey sprouted within a matter of seconds from a small innocent mare that lacked poise and composure into a gigantic horse that radiated confidence and swagger. With the addition of a resounding tune and bright background, it produced a moment of clarity that I haven’t experienced since the singing of “Just Around the River Bend” by Pocahantas. Despite the euro-centric setting, its universal appeal cannot be wavered as evident by the current success of its reproduction on Broadway and the future release of the film adaption that is set to release later this year. War Horse has changed my perception that films are better than plays because it generated the same excitement and feelings I generally encounter when watching a movie. It was a great introductory play that sparked my interest in attending future play productions.

By: Henry Tran