War Horse UK Tour announcement
The Theatre Royal, Glasgow is one of the latest venues set to see the National Theatre’s global smash-hit production of War Horse visit as part of a major 18-month UK and Ireland tour. The unforgettable theatrical event based on Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel, arrives for the first time in Glasgow for two weeks from 25 March – 5 April 2025.
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War Horse, adapted by Nick Stafford and originally directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, has become the most successful play in the history of the National Theatre, winning more than 25 major awards and has been seen by over 8.3 million people worldwide. This all-new tour is co-produced with Michael Harrison, Fiery Angel, and Playing Field.
War Horse tells the remarkable story of a young boy called Albert and his horse Joey, set against the backdrop of the First World War. This powerfully moving and imaginative drama is a show of phenomenal inventiveness, filled with stirring music and songs, featuring ground-breaking puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings breathing, galloping, charging, horses to thrilling life on stage and has inspired a generation of theatre-makers since its premiere in 2007.
At the outbreak of World War One, Joey, young Albert’s beloved horse, is sold to the Cavalry and shipped to France. He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary journey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. Albert, who remained on his parents’ Devon farm, cannot forget Joey. Though still not old enough to enlist he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home.
This tour of War Horse marks 110 years since the start of the First World War and follows the 40th anniversary of the publication of Michael Morpurgo’s global best-selling novel, which has now sold over 35 million copies worldwide and in 37 different languages.
Creative development for the tour is being led by Tom Morris with revival director Katie Henry, featuring reimagined designs by Rae Smith and additional music by Adrian Sutton. Puppet design and fabrication is by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, lighting design is by Rob Casey, movement and horse choreography is by Toby Sedgwick with puppet direction by Matthew Forbes. Animation and projection design is by Nicol Scott for 59 Productions, John Tams is songmaker and sound design is by Christopher Shutt. Casting is by Jill Green CDG and associate designer is Will Fricker. Casting is to be announced.
War Horse received its world premiere on 9 October 2007 at the National Theatre, where it played for two seasons before opening at the New London Theatre in March 2009. Since then, War Horse has been seen in 97 cities in 14 countries, including productions on Broadway, in Toronto and Berlin, with touring productions in the UK and Ireland, North America, the Netherlands and Belgium.
War Horse on tour is supported by Charles Stanley, the National Theatre’s Touring Partner.
📸 Production photos are from a previous production at New London Theatre. Credit: Brinkhoff Mögenburg
War Horse 2024 / 25 UK Tour Dates
Age Recommendation: 10+
Theatre Royal Glasgow | 25 March – 5 April 2025
Full UK Tour listings:
New Wimbledon Theatre 5 — 14 September 2024
The Lowry, Salford 18 — 28 September 2024
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 8 — 19 October 2024
The Marlowe, Canterbury 22 October — 2 November 2024
Sunderland Empire 5 — 16 November 2024
Theatre Royal Plymouth 26 November — 7 December 2024
New Theatre Oxford 10 December 2024 — 4 January 2025
New Victoria Theatre, Woking 14 — 25 January 2025
Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin 29 January — 1 February 2025
Grand Opera House, Belfast 4 — 15 February 2025
Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent 4 — 8 March 2025
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre 11 — 22 March 2025
Theatre Royal Glasgow 25 March — 5 April 2025
Liverpool Empire 8 — 19 April 2025
Milton Keynes Theatre 22 April — 3 May 2025
Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham 6 — 17 May 2025
Bristol Hippodrome 3 — 21 June 2025
Further tour venues and dates to be announced.
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War Horse UK Tour news, War Horse Glasgow Theatre Royal. Full UK & Ireland Tour Dates and what we know so far.
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