War Horse: revival 'retains the power' of the epic original

"War Horse" is back on British stages for the first time in five years. The hotly anticipated revival of the hit show "retains the power" that made it a "phenomenon" when it first debuted at the National Theatre back in 2007, said Nick Ahad in The Guardian.

Directed by Katie Henry and Tom Morris, the revival once again "faithfully" keeps to Michael Morpurgo's novel. Set at the outbreak of First World War in rural Devon, it follows a young Albert (Tom Sturgess), whose beloved horse, Joey, is sold to an army cavalry unit and sent to the frontline. Albert follows him to France, "dreaming of a reunion and eventually only hoping for survival".

It took "several years" for Nicholas Hytner to figure out how a "non-speaking puppet horse could hold the emotional heart of the production" in the original show, but "it held it then and it holds it still". Among the most powerful moments are when the British and German soldiers' worlds collide; these human encounters serve as a "gut punch reminder of the futility of war".

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As Albert, Sturgess undergoes a dramatic transformation from an innocent young boy on his family's farm, to a man struggling to come to terms with the horrors of the battlefield. Both "dynamic and emotive", his performance has cemented his reputation as "one to watch", said Amy Walker in the Manchester Evening News.

But the "real stars of the show" are the puppets, said Theatre and Tonic. Designed by Adrian Kohler, the life-sized horses are a "true wonder", while the masterly puppeteers breathe life into the animals. "Expertly written", at once "emotional" and funny, it's a "heartbreaking" show.

"War Horse" is a powerful example of "every creative department working at its apotheosis", added Ahad in The Guardian. From the projections above the stage that serve as a "wonderful" backdrop to Rob Casey's "extraordinary" lighting, everything comes together beautifully. "Once again it will run and run."

At The Lowry, Salford until 28 September, then on tour