(AGENPARL) – gio 11 aprile 2024 For immediate release: Thursday 11 April
FURTHER DATES ANNOUNCED FOR
THE NATIONAL THEATRE’S
GLOBAL PHENOMENON
WAR HORSE
BEGINNING A MAJOR UK & IRELAND TOUR FROM
SEPTEMBER 2024
New dates are announced for the National Theatre’s global smash-hit production of War Horse, the
unforgettable theatrical event based on Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel, which embarks on a major
18-month UK and Ireland tour from 5 September 2024, touring through to 2026.
The new dates and venues for 2025 are; New Victoria Theatre, Woking (14 – 25 January), Bord Gais
Energy Theatre, Dublin (29 January – 1 February), Grand Opera House, Belfast (4 – 15 February), The
Regent Theatre, Stoke (4 – 8 March), Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (11 – 22 March), Theatre Royal
Glasgow (25 March – 5 April), Liverpool Empire (8– 19 April), Milton Keynes Theatre (22 April – 3 May),
Nottingham Royal Concert Hall (6 – 17 May), Bristol Hippodrome (3 – 21 June).
Previously announced dates are; 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).
Further tour dates and venues to be announced. For more information and to sign-up for priority booking
at these newly announced venues visit WarHorseOnStage.com.
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 world-wide 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.
For more information visit WarHorseOnStage.com. War Horse will visit Theatre Nation Partner venues,
including The Lowry in Salford, Sunderland Empire, Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton
Grand Theatre. Assisted performances are available throughout the run at each venue.
War Horse on tour is supported by Charles Stanley, the National Theatre’s Touring Partner.
ENDS
Images from previous productions by Brinkhoff/Moegenburg are available here
LISTINGS
Dates: Performances from 5 September 2024 (tour schedule below)
Press night: Sunday 22 September, 2:30pm at The Lowry, Salford
Assisted Performances: Check individual venue websites for information and booking details.
Age Recommendation: 10+
Social Platforms:
Follow on Instagram @WarHorseOnStage
Twitter @WarHorseOnStage
Facebook War Horse On Stage
#WarHorse
WAR HORSE UK TOUR DATES FOR 2024-2025
New Wimbledon Theatre
atgtickets.com/new-wimbledon-theatre
on sale now
5 – 14 September 2024
The Lowry, Salford
thelowry.com
on sale now
18 – 28 September 2024
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
mayflower.org.uk
on sale now
8 – 19 October 2024
Marlowe Theatre Canterbury
marlowetheatre.com/
on sale now
22 October – 2 November 2024
Sunderland Empire
atgtickets.com/sunderland-empire
on sale now
5 – 16 November 2024
Theatre Royal Plymouth
theatreroyal.com
on sale now
26 November – 7 December 2024
New Theatre Oxford
atgtickets.com/new-theatre-oxford
on sale now
10 December 2024 – 4 January 2025
New Victoria Theatre, Woking
14 – 25 January 2025
atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoria-theatre
on sale from 16 May
Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin
bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
on sale soon
29 January – 1 February 2025
Grand Opera House, Belfast
goh.co.uk
on sale from 18 April
4 – 15 February 2025
Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent
atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre
on sale from 16 May
4 – 8 March 2025
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
grandtheatre.co.uk
on sale from 16 May
11 – 22 March 2025
Theatre Royal Glasgow
25 March – 5 April 2025
atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-glasgow
on sale from 16 May
Liverpool Empire
atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire
on sale from 16 May
8 – 19 April 2025
Milton Keynes Theatre
22 April – 3 May 2025
atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre
on sale from 16 May
Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
trch.co.uk
on sale from 20 May
6 – 17 May 2025
Bristol Hippodrome
3 – 21 June 2025
atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome
on sale from 16 May
Further tour venues and dates to be announced.
NOTES TO EDITOR
War Horse – original creative credits
The original production of War Horse was co-directed by Tom Morris and Marianne Elliott, with design
by Rae Smith and puppet design and fabrication by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring
Puppet Company. Original lighting design was by Paule Constable, with movement and horse
choreography by Toby Sedgwick and animation and projection design by Leo Warner and Mark
Grimmer for 59 Productions. Original Music was by Adrian Sutton with John Tams as songmaker and
sound design was by Christopher Shutt.
About the National Theatre
The National Theatre makes theatre that entertains and inspires using its creativity, expertise and unique
reach. The National Theatre shares unforgettable stories with millions of audience members across the
UK and around the world – on its own stages, on tour, in schools, on cinema screens and streaming at
home.
World-leading artists make their best work at the National Theatre with the widest possible audience and
impact. The National Theatre invests in talent and innovation on stage and off, taking seriously its role as
the nation’s theatre. Of the new productions developed each year with a wide range of theatre
companies, a third of that research and development resource is dedicated to shows staged at theatres
outside London.
Through touring our work to local theatres and schools and nationwide education and community
programmes, we are active in 71 of the 109 levelling up priority areas in the UK. A registered charity with
deeply embedded social purpose, the National Theatre works with hundreds of schools and communities
across the UK to fire imagination and inspire creativity, and to develop skills and pathways for careers in
theatre.
For more information, please visit nationaltheatre.org.uk
@NationalTheatre
@NT_PressOffice
About Michael Harrison
Michael Harrison’s West End musicals include: The Little Big Things (@sohoplace), Crazy For You (Gillian
Lynne), The Wizard of Oz (The London Palladium), Oklahoma! (Wyndham’s), The Drifters Girl (Garrick), two
seasons of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (The London Palladium), Mel Brooks’ Young
Frankenstein (Garrick), Annie (Piccadilly), Mrs Henderson Presents (Noël Coward), Gypsy (Savoy) and The
Bodyguard (Adelphi and Dominion).
In 2022 with Andrew Lloyd Webber, he formed Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals to produce both new
musicals and revivals of Andrew’s existing work. Productions include Jamie Lloyd’s reimagined Sunset
Boulevard (Savoy) starring Nicole Scherzinger. Later this year they will produce a new production of
Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre and Sunset Boulevard will transfer to Broadway.
This summer Michael will produce Hello, Dolly! starring Imelda Staunton at The London Palladium.
Michael’s London Palladium pantomimes: Peter Pan, Jack and the Beanstalk, Pantoland, Goldilocks and
the Three Bears, Snow White, Dick Whittington and Cinderella, have proved to be huge popular hits, with
Dick Whittington winning the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment and Family.
He is Chief Executive of Crossroads Pantomimes, responsible for many of the major number one
pantomimes across the UK.
About Fiery Angel
Headed by Edward Snape and Marilyn Eardley, Fiery Angel is an award-winning international production
company based in London’s West End.
Recent productions in the West End include: King Lear, Hairspray, Peppa Pig Live, Dolly Parton’s Smoky
Mountain Christmas Carol, Circus 1903, Touching The Void, The Son, The Night of the Iguana, Fleabag,
Home I’m Darling, Long Day’s Journey into Night, Mary Stuart, Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, Kenneth
Branagh Theatre Company; The Winter’s Tale, All On Her Own/Harlequinade, Red Velvet, The Painkiller,
Romeo and Juliet, The Entertainer, The 39 Steps, The Scottsboro Boys, The Ladykillers, and Ghost Stories.
Recent UK Tours include: Rob Brydon: A Night of Songs and Laughter, The 39 Steps, The Boy at the Back
of the Class, And Then There Were None, Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder!, Tubular Bells, The Smartest
Giant in Town, Peppa Pig Live, Unexpected Twist, Animal Farm, The Good Life, Love From A Stranger,
and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Fiery Angel has acted as a co-producer alongside The National Theatre on its West End productions
of Nine Night, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and The Lehman Trilogy.
About Playing Field
Combining our knowledge of theatre and capital, Playing Field is dedicated to accelerating the creation of
world class theatre. We are involved in the early-stage development, late-stage investment and
production of a wide variety of projects in London, nationally and internationally.
Work includes Life of Pi (London, UK Tour, NY, US Tour), Back to the Future (London, NY, US Tour), The
Hills of California, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Red Pitch, Starlight Express, MJ The Musical, Hello Dolly!,
Opening Night, Dear England, King Lear, Stranger Things, The Motive and the Cue, Dr Strangelove, Just
For One Day, Lyonesse, Edward Scissorhands, Merrily We Roll Along (NY), Dr Semmelweis, For Black Boys
Who Have Considered Suicide, A Strange Loop, The Crucible, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Crazy for
You, Groundhog Day, A Little Life, A Streetcar Named Desire, Patriots, 2.22, A Doll’s House, Medea, The
Wizard of Oz, Sleeping Beauty, New York, New York, Oklahoma!, Sylvia, The Piano Lesson (NY), Death of a
Salesman (NY), Moulin Rouge, The Lehman Trilogy (London, NY), Jerusalem, Funny Girl (NY), The Time
Travellers Wife, 101 Dalmatians, Good, Cruise, Girl from the North Country, Grease, Hairspray, Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Pillowman, Touching the Void, The Bodyguard, The Curious
Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Fiddler on the Roof.
playingfield.co.uk