War Horse takes audiences on an extraordinary journey from the fields of rural Devon to the trenches of First World War France. Filled with stirring music and songs, this powerfully moving and imaginative drama is a show of phenomenal inventiveness. At its heart are astonishing life-sized puppets by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, who bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to thrilling life on stage.

Running Time: 2hrs 45mins, including 20min interval

About War HorseThe story of War Horse was first conceived in front of a log fire in the Duke of York pub in the small village of Iddesleigh in Devon in the winter of 1980. Michael Morpurgo had a conversation with an old soldier from the First World War about how he found himself in the trenches of Flanders. Other men in the village – including a cavalryman – told him more about the camaraderie and the pity, and he went on to write War Horse. Some 25 years later, Tom Morris, then an Associate Director at the National Theatre, contacted Morpurgo to say he would like to make a play of the story, in association with Cape Town-based Handspring Puppet Company. War Horse went on to begin a new chapter. It took two years of workshops at the National Theatre Studio on how to make the horses work, in tandem with the music, set and actors, to tell the compelling story of Albert and his horse Joey against the backdrop of the Great War. The show opened at the National’s Olivier Theatre in 2007 and transferred to the West End in 2009. It has since been seen by 5 million people around the world – including productions on Broadway, in Toronto and Australia. War Horse is currently on tour in the UK and Ireland, and North America. A German language production is running in Berlin (called Gefährten) and a new Dutch language production will open in Amsterdam in June, followed by a five-city tour of The Netherlands.

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2011 West End cast photo by Brinkhoff/Mögenburg

Coming up

Please turn over for more details of these upcoming broadcasts ntlive.com

A Small Family Businessby Alan Ayckbourn

A riotous exposure of entrepreneurial greed, which premiered at the National Theatre in 1987.

Broadcast live 12 June Repeat screenings in selected venues

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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Timebased on the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon adapted by Simon Stephens

‘A beautiful, eloquent, dazzlingly inventive show.’Evening Standard

Encore screenings from 22 May Repeat screenings in selected venues

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King Learby William Shakespeare

‘Riveting. Simon Russell Beale is extraordinary.’Daily Express

Broadcast live 1 May Repeat screenings in many venues

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Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo Adapted by Nick Stafford

Presented in association with the award-winning Handspring Puppet Company

WarHorse

CASTTHE HORSESJoey as a foal Joey head Joey heart Joey hind Topthorn head Topthorn heart Topthorn hind The Goose

THE PEOPLECaptain Nicholls Sergeant Allan/Colonel Strauss Billy Narracott/Geordie Rudi Chapman Carter/Sergeant Fine Sergeant Thunder Arthur Narracott Doctor Schweyk/John Greig Thomas Bone/David Taylor Musician Songman Ted Narracott Captain Stewart Gefreiter Karl Friedrich Müller Emilie Paulette/Nurse Annie Gilbert Rose Narracott Priest/Veterinary Officer Martin Albert Narracott Ensemble

All other parts played by members of the company

Musicians

CREATIVE TEAMDirectors Designer/Drawings Puppet Design, Fabrication & Puppetry Directors Lighting Designer Director of Movement & Horse Choreography Video Designers Music Songmaker Sound Designer

Produced for the National Theatre by CHRIS HARPER and STEPHEN REBBECK

With thanks to all production staff, the New London Theatre and Really Useful Theatres Group

Please make sure all phones are switched off during the performancePresent by the National Theatre and National Angels

ASHLEIGH CHEADLE, TAMSIN FESSEY, EMMA THORNETT NICHOLAS HART ANDREW LONDON SAM WILMOTT NIGEL ALLEN MICHAEL TAIBI LEWIS PEPLOE TOM MEREDITH

ALEX AVERY OLIVER BEAMISH ALISTAIR BRAMMER EKE CHUKWU EWEN CUMMINS PAUL HAWKYARD TOM HODGKINS PIETER LAWMANBRIAN LONSDALE DOGAN MEHMET BEN MURRAY STEVE NORTH WILLIAM RYCROFT JACK SANDLE IAN SHAW ZOË THORNE EMMA THORNETT JOSIE WALKER BRENDAN WALL SIÔN DANIEL YOUNG

GARETH ALED, ANTONY ANTUNES, DEREK ARNOLD, RICHARD BOOTH, DARREN COCKRILL, SERGIO PRIFTIS

COLIN RAE (Music Director, trumpet, flugelhorn, bugle)NEYIRE ASHWORTH (clarinet, drum)ANDY CALLARD (trumpet, flugelhorn)JONATHAN EDDIE (French horn, tenor horn)DAVID HOLT (trombone, euphonium)

MARIANNE ELLIOTT and TOM MORRIS RAE SMITH BASIL JONES and ADRIAN KOHLER for Handspring Puppet Company PAULE CONSTABLE TOBY SEDGWICK LEO WARNER and MARK GRIMMER for 59 Productions Ltd ADRIAN SUTTON JOHN TAMS CHRISTOPHER SHUTT

Upcoming broadcasts

A Small Family Businessby Alan Ayckbourn

Broadcast live 12 JuneRepeat screenings in selected venues

Jack McCracken: a man of principle in a corrupt world. But not for long. Moments after taking over his father-in-law’s business he’s approached by a private detective armed with some compromising information. Jack’s integrity fades away as he discovers his extended family to be thieves and adulterers, looting the business from their suburban homes. Rampant self-interest takes over and comic hysteria builds to a macabre climax.

Alan Ayckbourn’s riotous exposure of entrepreneurial greed returns to the National Theatre where it had its premiere in 1987, winning the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Play.

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King Learby William Shakespeare

Broadcast live 1 MayRepeat screenings in many venues

Academy Award® winner Sam Mendes (James Bond: Skyfall, American Beauty) returns to the National Theatre to direct Simon Russell Beale (Timon of Athens, Collaborators) in the title role of Shakespeare’s tragedy.

An aged king decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters, according to which of them is most eloquent in praising him. His favourite, Cordelia, says nothing. Lear’s world descends into chaos.

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by William Shakespeare

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Timebased on the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon adapted by Simon Stephens

Encore screenings from 22 MayRepeat screenings in selected venues

Following its smash-hit live broadcast in 2012, the National Theatre production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time returns to cinemas. Winner of 7 Olivier Awards in 2013, including Best New Play.

Christopher, fifteen years old, has an extraordinary brain – exceptional at maths while ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When he falls under suspicion of killing Mrs Shears’ dog Wellington, he records each fact about the event in the book he is writing to solve the mystery of the murder. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world.P

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by Alan Ayckbourn

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SmallFamily

WarHorse Making

Documentary directed by David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky Photo by Simon Annand

Includes:• Feature-length documentary • Video diaries • Behind the scenes films • Image gallery • Souvenir booklet

Now available on region-free DVD

shop.nationaltheatre.org.ukWorldwide shipping available

BASED ON THE BEST-SELLING NOVEL BY

Mark HaddonADAPTED BY

SIMon STEPHEnS