War Horse has now closed, click here to see other theatre breaks which are still available.
Theatre: New London Theatre, Drury Lane, London WC2B 5PW
Performance Times:
Matinees: Thursdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm
Evenings: Mondays to Saturdays at 7.30pm. Tuesdays at 7pm
Performance Duration: The performance lasts approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, including an interval of 20 minutes.
Audience Suitability: War Horse London does contain strobe lighting, smoke effects, recorded explosions and gun shots which some audience members may not enjoy. The show overall is deemed to be suitable for anyone over the age of 10 years.
War Horse is the wonderful stage adaptation of the successful story by Michael Morpurgo and is something that everyone should see at least once on a theatre break to London.
The story focuses upon the war effort before and during World War One and is about a young boy called Albert Narracott and a colt that his father, Ted, buys at auction. Albert takes care of the new colt, calls him Joey and devotes many hours into training him. Resulting in a successfully ploughed field of turnips. Unfortunately, heavy weather destroys the crops. Ted, unable to pay rent and now with failed crops, chooses to sell Joey to a young cavalry officer, Captain Nicholls, without telling Albert.
Despite Albert's pleas, Joey is taken away from him and is trained for war. Captain Nicholls and his men travel to France where unfortunately the cavalry charges are now obsolete. They attempt to charge the enemy but the German's firepower is too strong resulting in Captain Nicholls and his men being killed and the Germans takeover ownership of the cavalry horses including Joey.
Whilst under German ownership, Joey makes friends with another horse called Topthorn as two boys take care of them. The boys are enlisted into the German army but in a bid to escape the frontline, they are captured and shot by firing squad. The horses are taken away again, this time to be used for heavy labour. Meanwhile, Albert is old enough to enlist into the British Army and does so with his friend Andrew. Unfortunately, they are caught in a vicious battle where one of them is killed and the other ends up in a Medical Camp.
War Horse is an extremely powerful play that will send you on an emotional journey through the tragedy of war where the progress of events could tug a little on your heartstrings as you wonder whether Albert will ever be reunited with Joey. Through the artistic talents of South Africa's Handspring Puppet Company, watch as the war and its horses are brought to life before your eyes.
Theatre breaks to see War Horse start from only £135 per person and each package includes: return coach travel (except for self-drive), overnight accommodation in a quality hotel, hotel-to-venue transfers, free time in London plus theatre tickets to see War Horse with the option to upgrade to better seats.