Preview | THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME (UK Tour)

As well as recently re-opening in the West End, the acclaimed National Theatre production of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time embarks on a UK tour throughout 2015. Winner of 7 Olivier Awards including ‘Best New Play’, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time brings Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel to thrilling life on stage, adapted by two-time Olivier Award-winning playwright Simon Stephens and directed by Olivier and Tony Award-winning director Marianne Elliott.

Christopher, fifteen years old, stands beside Mrs Shears’ dead dog. It has been speared with a garden fork, it is seven minutes after midnight and Christopher is under suspicion. He records each fact in the book he is writing to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington. He has an extraordinary brain, exceptional at maths while ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched and he distrusts strangers. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world.

The UK tour begins in December 2014 before visiting 31 venues including Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 16 - 21 February 2015. Book tickets for Wolverhampton here.

Listen to some of the music from the production:

WAR HORSE (UK Tour) Review October 2013

Based on the novel by former children's laureate, Michael Morpurgo, War Horse is the endearing story of a boy, Alfred and his horse Joey. The 1982 novel remained just that for 25 years before the National Theatre premiered the groundbreaking play in London in 2007. Since then the production has opened on Broadway, in Canada, Melbourne, and the first non-English-language production opened in Berlin on 19 October 2013 - just one day after the first press night for the UK touring production at Birmingham Hippodrome. 

The play follows horse Joey who is sold to a yeomanry cavalry division and serves in France for the British in the First World War. He is later captured and serves on the German side before ending up wounded and wondering no-man's land. Joey is pursued by his young master Albert who is determined to be reunited with his best friend. 

Joey, Albert and Goose (London Cast Photography)

With a minimalist set, War Horse can still boast huge production values. Presented in association with Handspring Puppet Company the animals in the show are brought to life by incredibly realistic puppets. The horses of course are the main focus but even a goose and some birds become scene-stealers. Generally, I think there's a real danger with puppetry in the fact that it is often used for comic effect - there are humorous moments that receive an affectionate giggle but even so, for the entire time the animals are manipulated with such conviction that what you're watching is completely real. When theatre can truly manage to suspend such levels of disbelief it really is magical and War Horse is the shining example of that. 

Lee Armstrong is an endearing Albert who you cannot help but cry for like his strained mother Rose, played by Karen Henthorn, both ensure that your heart is left aching. Nisa Cole is excellent as Emilie and shows incredible emotional versatility. Mention must go to the superb puppeteers who are perhaps overlooked as you're caught up in the action but the detail of movement (ear twitching to the motion of breathing) is nothing short of genius. 

Topthorn and Joey (London Cast Photography)

Honestly, this not a relaxing experience but theatre shouldn't always be. For the play's entirety you are at war and my heart was in my mouth for the duration. We've all heard the poems and seen the films but here you're presented with war and its horrors and you're very much a part of it - a breathtaking experience. The heartstrings are well and truly pulled at as you're taken through the tragic, ultimately bittersweet story. 

War Horse is phenomenal. By the end, I could barely applaud from an overwhelming emotion that you cannot help but release. I would urge anyone to buy a ticket however every performance is now sold out for the duration of the Birmingham tour dates. You can enquire about returned tickets by calling 0844 338 5000. Alternatively you can book other tour venues or for the London production here. 

There is an extra event in Birmingham with good ticket availability, War Horse: Only Remembered on Friday 8th November at 2pm. Author Michael Morpurgo will be reading from the book on the set of War Horse and is joined by acclaimed musicians John Tams and Barry Coope. For more information and to book, click here. 

You can listen to my interview with author Michael Morpurgo here:

Cast List: James Alper, Lee Armstrong, Peter Ash, Emily Aston, Nisa Cole, Joe Darke, David Fleeshman, Adam Foster, Bob Fox, Jason Furnival, Thomas Gilbey, Oliver Grant, Finn Hanlon, Karl Haynes, Karen Henthorn, Steven Hillman, Michael Humphreys, Linford Johnson, Andrew Keay, Rebecca Killick, Tom Larkin, John Leader, Helen Macfarlane, Sean McKenzie, Alex Moran, Suzan Nixon, Tom Norman, Joseph Richardson, Paul Simpson, Gavin Swift, Simeon Truby, Peter Twose, Richard Vorster, Martin Wenner

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Interview with John Leader

WAR HORSE (UK Tour) Birmingham Hippodrome Press Launch and Interview with Toby Olié

Today tickets for the National Theatre's acclaimed production of War Horse went on sale for the show's run at the Birmingham Hippodrome from 16th October - 9th November 2013.

Chris Harper with Joey outside the Birmingham Hippodrome

Introducing War Horse was National Theatre producer Chris Harper. "As someone who was born in Stourbridge and started my career at the Birmingham Hippodrome, I am particularly excited to bring War Horse home."

War Horse is the powerful story of a young boy called Albert and his beloved horse Joey who has been requisitioned to fight for the English at war. Joey finds himself serving on both sides during the war and ends up in No-Man's Land. Albert, not old enough to enlist, embarks on a treacherous mission to find his horse and bring him home. The production which premiered at the Royal National Theatre in 2007 transferred to the New London Theatre in 2009 and has since played to audiences on Broadway, in Toronto and Melbourne and is now set to tour the UK whilst continuing to play to packed houses in London.

Toby Olié explaining the workings of horse Joey

Introducing us to the horse Joey was Associate Puppetry Director Toby Olié. A self confessed puppet enthusiast, Toby has been keen since the age of six, inspired by Sesame Street and a love for both drama and art. Toby trained in puppetry at London's Central School of Speech and Drama in which he was the only student in his year to study the discipline. Toby joined the original cast of War Horse as Joey's hind legs before operating Joey's head in the subsequent West End transfer of the production. He became an Associate Puppetry Director for the show in 2011. 

The puppets were designed and made in South Africa by the Handspring Puppet Company. Toby explained that the main body of the horse is cane that has been soaked giving it the flexibility to be shaped. The aim of the puppet is to be completely naturalistic yet suggestive of something more deconstructed. These are puppets and War Horse makes no attempt to hide that, but what they do ensure is that you see a completely believable representation of a horse. You can see just how realistically Joey moves in the video below. 

Speaking to Toby, he was able to give a fascinating insight from someone who has been with the production since the beginning. I was particularly interested to find out more about the puppets themselves, and the processes actors have to go through in order to bring the horses to life. 

"To warm up we find that Pilates and yoga based exercises are much more effective than simply working-out in a gym. For the operators it's much better to be relaxed than pumped and aching, otherwise the energy just isn't there. Before I first started with the company I didn't for one minute think I'd get the job because I was skinny and not a muscular guy. It's a lot more about concentration though, and being able to channel a horse's instincts. We tell the puppeteers not to focus too much on the script but to think as a horse and react to what's happening around them. We work closely with real horses and at a riding school in Epsom to ensure that we are extremely familiar with the horse's movement and behaviour."

Last year I was the puppeteer for a production of Little Shop of Horrors and after a two-hour show inside a giant plant I was completely exhausted. I was keen to know whether I'm just unfit, or if War Horse puppeteers felt the same. 

"It is completely exhausting.  As a puppeteer, not only are you operating the horse but making all of the noises too! We are trotting, running and neighing for the entire show and aside from the interval we only have two five minute breaks offstage. The operating is all encompassing and at times we have actors sitting on top of the horse riding it. None of the weight is ever put onto the legs of the puppet and at all times pressure is taken through the bodies of the puppeteers."

"The puppets are a Westernised inspiration of Japanese Bunraku puppetry and are always evolving and as great as they are, there are always things to improve. I lost a hoof in the middle of a scene once - they're a lot more secure now! The first prototype puppets lasted for just one week of workshops. They were much bulkier and needed a lot of improving, although the look has remained pretty similar. It takes us about ten months to make a completely new set of puppets and repairs are made as and when necessary."

The original designs for Joey

After taking part in a puppet workshop for Avenue Q last year I learnt that old and part-worn puppets that are no longer practical in the production are recycled for use during the rehearsal process and are not wasted. I wanted to know if this was the same for the horses.

"The puppeteers get used to working with the same puppets and so we tend to repair.  We like to use a new set of puppets for each company and those puppets stay with them. The London production are still using puppets from 2007, we've built an entirely new set for the upcoming tour, so come along and see them in action."

Tickets for War Horse at the Birmingham Hippodrome are now on sale via the website: http://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/whatson_focus.asp?showid=1769

You can also visit the official website for the production here:

http://www.warhorseonstage.com