Anybody who spent a lot of time in English boarding school is well acquainted with World War I. A four year massacre of innocent men by brain dead Army officers who were trying to ram an infantry down the kaiser's throat in a war where neither of them figured out that guns and tanks made that type of war obsolete. In the end, the Yanks saved the English in a manner not dissimilar to the way they will soon be siding with Israel.
"War Horse" -an OK play but a magnificent concept brilliantly executed, begins at the start of WW I and ends at the end of it. 1914 – 1918. It is the story of the horse and his boy. Albert's father bought a thoroughbred horse, Joey, in a drunken rage one up Albert's Uncle. A bad idea, as what is needed in rural Wales is horses for plowing.
Albert bonds with Joey and when Joey is sequestrated by the army to fight in the trenches of France, sixteen year old Albert lies about his age, joins the forces and goes in search of his horse.
This would be another nothing special war yarn if not for a terrific conceit that works spectacularly. The horses are puppets moved by three men, clearly visible. It doesn't take long for you to believe in the horses. I mean, clearly, they are men underneath a mache of a horse but, in much the way you forget actors are actors, you forget it completely.
Unfortunately, the lead actor Andrew Durand, is the most annoying person on earth. That's not his fault, he is being paid to irritate. But you just want to shoot Joey yourself to get even with Albert whose borderline sexual love for the horse blinds him in more ways the one. When Albert discovers his cousin is dead, he cares much more about the well being of Joey.
Indeed, Albert's parents, Uncle, before mentioned cousin , and a deserting German, are all annoying.
It is really upsetting that such a brilliantly designed and executed show flounders on a naff play.
Musically, WWI has a wealth of great, great pop tunes. But you wouldn't know it here. We get one pop tune and lots of lousy folk songs.
Play: B
Music: C