War Horse

War Horse, the National Theatre's epic Olivier Award winning production is to close in the West End with the final performance on 12 March 2016 at the New London Theatre. Based on Michael Morpurgo's celebrated novel, the World War I family drama featuring actors working with life-sized puppets has been a sensational hit, becoming the most successful play in the history of the National Theatre. Producer Chris Harper said: "War Horse has wowed audiences around the world, and we are incredibly proud of what the show has achieved over the last eight extraordinary years." The show, which has won 25 major awards, will have played over 3,000 performances and been seen by over 2.7 million people in London. Morpurgo called it "a show like no other, with puppets at its heart", adding: "It has moved millions in London and all over the world." War Horse is based on a novel by Michael Morpurgo, adapted by Nick Stafford and directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris. The play is designed by Rae Smith, with puppet direction, design and fabrication by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, lighting by Paule Constable, and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick, with video design by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer, songmaker John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt. A major UK tour of War Horse will begin in autumn 2017, as the country prepares to mark the final centenary year of the First World War, with details to be announced. BOOKING Book tickets to War Horse

First day rehearsal photos of the new cast of War Horse at the New London Theatre. Joined by Michael Morpurgo, the new West End cast of War Horse at their first day of rehearsal.  The new West End cast will be taking over at the New London Theatre from 16 March 2015. War Horse is the National Theatre’s epic, Olivier Award-winning World War I family drama based on the celebrated novel by Michael Morpurgo and featuring actors working with life-sized puppets. War Horse is directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, designed by Rae Smith, with puppet direction, design and fabrication by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler, lighting by Paule Constable, and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick, with video design by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer, songmaker John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt. The new West End cast comprises James Backway, Phillip Bertioli, Ken Bradshaw, Adrian Christopher, Matthew Churcher, Clare Louise Connolly, Alasdair Craig, Harry De Moraville, Drew Dillon, James Duncan, Nick Figgis, Patrick Fleming, Keiran Flynn, Alan Francis, Colm Gormley, Dominic Hodson, Ian Houghton, Mark Jackson, Simon Jenkins, Jamie Lee-Morgan, Nyron Levy, Kate Marlais, Shaun McCourt, Tony McGeever, Jayne Mckenna, Chris Milford, Gary Mitchinson, Thomas Mittleheuser, Ben Murray, Markus Schabbing, Adam Henderson Scott, Alisdair Simpson, James Alexander Taylor, Emma Thornett, Lowri Walton, Scarlet Wilderink, Sam Willmott and Simon Wolfe. [ngg src="galleries" ids="463" display="basic_imagebrowser"] 

Photos of War Horse's Joey and author Michael Morpurgo visiting the poppies at the Tower of London The extraorindary poppies installation at the Tower of London had some special visitors on Sunday (20 October 2014). The author of War Horse, Michael Morgurgo, visited the Tower along with Joey, the life-size horse puppet and star of War Horse at the New London Theatre. The poppies art installation at the Tower of London is called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red and marks one hundred years since the first full day of Britain's involvement in the First World War. Created by ceramic artist Paul Cummins, with setting by stage designer Tom Piper, 888,246 ceramic poppies have been progressively filling the Tower's famous moat over the summer. Each poppy represents a British military fatality during the war and each of the poppies is available to buy online for £25 (+p&p) with 10% of profits and all net proceeds being donated to six service charities. The installation will end on 11 November 2015, one hundred years since the start of the First World War. Based on a novel by Michael Morpurgo, War Horse is adapted by Nick Stafford and presented in association with Handspring Puppet Company. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, it is designed by Rae Smith, lighting is by Paule Constable and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick. The puppetry directors are Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler, with video design by 59 Productions Ltd, song-making by John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt. LINKS For more information on Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red at the Tower of London, please visit www.poppies.hrp.org.uk WAR HORSE at the New London Theatre

The National Theatre’s internationally acclaimed stage production of War Horse today releases over 100,000 new tickets for sale for the West End production, taking booking at the New London Theatre to 15 February 2014. War Horse, which has now been seen by over 1.6million people in London and by over 3 million people worldwide, received its world premiere at the National Theatre in October 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 odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home. Now celebrating its sixth year on the London stage, Nick Stafford’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s book continues to play to sell-out houses at the New London Theatre. The Broadway production of War Horse, which recently completed its run at the Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, was the winner of six Tony Awards including a Special Tony Award for Handspring Puppet Company. A North American tour of War Horse opened in Los Angeles in June 2012, and continues to tour the US throughout 2013. A new production with an all-Australian cast opened at the Melbourne Arts Centre State Theatre on 31 December 2012, and will go on to play seasons in Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland. A tour of the UK and Ireland begins in September 2013 at Plymouth Theatre Royal and a German language production opens in October 2013 at the historic Theater des Westens in Berlin. The new West End cast, from 9 March 2013, comprises Gareth Aled (Joey/Topthorn Head), Nigel Allen (Joey/Topthorn Head), Antony Antunes (Topthorn Hind), Derek Arnold (Joey / Topthorn Hind), Alex Avery (Captain Nicholls), Oliver Beamish (Sergeant Allan), Richard Booth (Topthorn Head), Alistair Brammer (Billy Narracott), Ashleigh Cheadle (Baby Joey), Eke Chukwu (Rudi), Darren Cockrill (Joey /Topthorn Heart), Ewen Cummins (Chapman Carter / Soldat Schmidt), Tamsin Fessey (Baby Joey), Nicholas Hart (Joey Head), Paul Hawkyard (Sergeant Thunder), Tom Hodgkins (Arthur Narracott), Jamie Kenna (Ted Narracott), Pieter Lawman (John Greig), Andrew London (Joey Heart), Brian Lonsdale (Thomas Bone), Josh McCord (David Taylor), Dogan Mehmet (Songman), Tom Meredith (Goose /Unteroffizier Klebb), Ben Murray (Songman), Steve North (Dr Schweyk/ Sergeant Fine), Lewis Peploe (Joey/Topthorn Hind), Sergio Priftis (Topthorn Heart), William Rycroft (Captain Stewart), Jack Sandle (Gefreiter Karl), Ian Shaw (Friedrich Muller), Michael Taibi (Joey/Topthorn Heart), Zoe Thorne (Emilie), Emma Thornett (Baby Joey/Paulette), Josie Walker (Rose Narracott), Brendan Wall (Vet Martin/Priest/Johann Schnabel), Sam Wilmott (Joey Hind) and Sion Daniel Young (Albert Narracott). Directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, War Horse is designed by Rae Smith, with puppet direction, design and fabrication by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, lighting by Paule Constable, and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick;, with video design by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer, songmaker John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt. War Horse is produced in the West End by the National Theatre and National Angels. Release issued by: Premier PR Book tickets to War Horse at the New London Theatre in London  

Antony Sher plays the title role in THE CAPTAIN OF KÖPENICK, directed by Adrian Noble in the Olivier Marianne Elliott directs Simon Stephens’ PORT in the Lyttelton THIS HOUSE moves to the Olivier Theatre THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME transfers to the West End ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS continues its UK and international tour NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE presents The Magistrate, People and THIS HOUSE   THE CAPTAIN OF KÖPENICK                                            Olivier Theatre Previews from 29 January, press night 5 February, in repertoire until 4 April Antony Sher plays the title role in THE CAPTAIN OF KÖPENICK by Carl Zuckmayer, in a new English version by Ron Hutchinson, opening in the Olivier Theatre on 5 February, directed by Adrian Noble. The cast also includes Sandy Batchelor, Paul Bentall, Jason Cheater, Paul Chequer, Alan David, Robert Demeger, James Hayes, Barnaby Kay, David Killick, Siobhán McSweeney, Nick Malinowski, Anthony O’Donnell, Olivia Poulet, Iris Roberts, Nick Sampson, Adrian Schiller, Robin Weaver, Joseph Wilkins and Lynne Wilmot. The production will be designed by Anthony Ward, with lighting by Neil Austin, music by Steven Edis, movement by Sue Lefton, fight direction by Malcolm Ranson and sound by Mic Pool. Released after fifteen years in prison, trapped in a bureaucratic maze, petty criminal Wilhelm Voight wanders 1910 Berlin in desperate, hazardous pursuit of identity papers. Luck changes when he picks up an abandoned military uniform in a fancy-dress shop and finds the city ready to obey his every command. At the head of six soldiers, he marches to the Mayor’s office, cites corruption and confiscates the treasury with ease. But still what he craves is official recognition that he exists. A nation heads blindly towards war as the misfit takes on the state in Ron Hutchinson’s savagely funny new version of Carl Zuckmayer’s play, first staged in Germany in 1931. Antony Sher’s recent appearances at the National include Travelling Light and his own adaptation of Primo Levi’s ‘If this is a Man’, Primo, which transferred to New York and for which he won the Outer Critics’ Circle and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Solo Performance; the production was also filmed and he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor. His extensive stage credits also include, most recently, Freud in Terry Johnson’s Hysteria for Theatre Royal, Bath; Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass in the West End; Tomas Stockmann in An Enemy of the People (Sheffield Crucible); and the title role in Kean (West End). His many leading roles for the Royal Shakespeare Company include Prospero, Iago, Macbeth, Leontes, Cyrano de Bergerac, Shylock, Tamburlaine, Henry Carr in Travesties, Shylock, Tartuffe, Molière and Richard III for which he won the Evening Standard and Olivier Awards for Best Actor. His previous NT appearances include Stanley (Olivier Award for Best Actor), Titus Andronicus, Uncle Vanya, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, The Trial and True West.  His many screen credits include The Shadowline, Disraeli in Mrs Brown (Evening Standard Film Awards:  Peter Sellers Award for Comedy), Hitler in Churchill: The Hollywood Years, and Gerald Ballantyne in Home. A distinguished writer, novelist and artist,Antony Sher received a knighthood in 2000. Ron Hutchinson’s many plays include Rat in the Skull, The Dillen, The Mysteries, Moonlight and Magnolias, Durand’s Line (part of the Tricycle Theatre’s ‘The Great Game’ cycle), Calculated Risk (for the Tricycle’s cycle on British nuclear weapons policy), Dead on her Feet and Paisley and Me.  His television work includes the Emmy-winning Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story. THE CAPTAIN OF KÖPENICK is Adrian Noble’s first production for the National Theatre.  Artistic Director of the RSC from  1990 – 2003, his recent work includes The Tempest and Hedda Gabler for Theatre Royal, Bath; The King’s Speech (UK tour); Inherit the Wind and As You Like It for The Old Globe Theatre, San Diego  where he is Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director; and Hamlet at the Stratford, Ontario Shakespeare Festival.   PORT                                                                          Lyttelton Theatre Previews from 22 January, press night 28 January, in repertoire until 24 March Marianne Elliott directs PORT by Simon Stephens, opening in the Lyttelton on 28 January 2013;  with designs by Lizzie Clachan, lighting by Neil Austin, music by Damon Gough (also known as Badly Drawn Boy) and sound by Ian Dickinson. The cast will include John Biggins, Calum Callaghan, Jack Deam, Danny Kelly, Mike Noble, Kate O’Flynn, Katherine Pearce and Liz White. Stockport, 1988. It’s midnight. Rachel, eleven, and Billy, six, wait in the car in agitated excitement.  Their mother is at her wits’ end with all their chatter and fighting and dreams of Disneyland. She is about to leave them for good. Their father, drunk in the flat above, has locked the door. It’s a pivotal moment, the beginning of a thirteen-year odyssey for two kids, largely abandoned and growing up in the deprived suburban shadows of Manchester, a city that felt itself to be the most exciting in the world. A richly colourful portrait of a town with the everyday writ large, Simon Stephens’ PORT is a celebration of the human spirit as Rachel, through sheer courage and despite an economic and political climate that pushes her into the very margins, looks to the future and opts for love and life and for something better. The world premiere of PORT at the Royal Exchange, Manchester in 2002 was directed by Marianne Elliott, who has since directed at the NT Simon Stephens’ Harper Regan and his adaptation of  Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which transfers to the West End in March. Simon Stephens’ many other plays include On the Shore of the Wide World (NT co-production with Royal Exchange: Olivier Award for Best New Play), Morning,Three Kingdoms, Wastwater, Punk Rock, Seawall, Pornography, Country Music, Christmas and Herons; and A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky (co-written with Robert Holman and David Eldridge). Marianne Elliott is an Associate Director at the National, where her productions also include Season’s Greetings, All’s Well That Ends Well, Saint Joan (Olivier Award for Best Revival, South Bank Show Award for Theatre), Pillars of the Community (Evening Standard Award for Best Director); and the award-winning War Horse (co-directed with Tom Morris).   THIS HOUSE                                                             Olivier Theatre Previews from 23 February, press night 28 February, continuining in repertoire National Theatre Live broadcast on 16 May   Following a sell-out run in the Cottesloe, James Graham’s highly acclaimed new play THIS HOUSE will transfer to the Olivier Theatre from 23 February 2013. Directed by Jeremy Herrin, the production is designed by Rae Smith with lighting design by Paule Constable, music by Stephen Warbeck, choreography by Scott Ambler and sound by Ian Dickinson.  Original cast members continuing with their roles include Gunnar Cauthery, Phil Daniels, Charles Edwards, Vincent Franklin, Christopher Godwin, Andrew Havill, Ed Hughes, Helena Lymbery, Lauren O’Neil, Matthew Pidgeon. Richard Ridings, Giles Taylor, Tony Turner, Rupert Vansittart and Julian Wadham. THIS HOUSE will also be broadcast to cinemas worldwide by National Theatre Live on 16 May (see page 5). 1974.  TheUKfaces economic crisis and a hung parliament.  In a culture hostile to cooperation, it’s a period when votes are won or lost by one, when there are fist fights in the bars and when sick MPs are carried through the lobby to register their vote.  It’s a time when a staggering number of politicians die, and the building creaks under idiosyncrasies and arcane traditions. Set in the engine rooms of Westminster, This House strips politics down to the practical realities of those behind the scenes: the whips who roll up their sleeves and on occasion bend the rules to shepherd and coerce a diverse chorus of MPs within the Mother of all Parliaments. James Graham won the Pearson Playwriting Bursary in 2006 and went on to win the Catherine Johnson Award for Best Play of 2007 for Eden's Empire.  His plays also include Tory Boyz for the National Youth Theatre and The Whisky Taster at the Bush Theatre. Jeremy Herrin is Associate Director of the RoyalCourtTheatre.  His recent credits include Absent Friends (Harold Pinter Theatre), Uncle Vanya (Chichester), Death and the Maiden (Comedy Theatre), David Hare’s South Downs (Chichester and West End) and Children’s Children (Almeida). The original production of This House was sponsored by the National Theatre’s Cottesloe Partner, Neptune Investment Management.   BEYOND THE SOUTH BANK   THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME Marianne Elliott’s much-acclaimed production of THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, based on the novel by Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens will transfer to the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1, from 1 March, with a press night on Tuesday 12 March, booking until 25 May.   ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS on tour to England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales;  Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong Actor, stand-up comedian and presenter Rufus Hound leads the cast in Nicholas Hytner’s five-star award-winning production of Richard Bean’s ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS for its second UK tour this autumn. He will play the lead role of Francis Henshall at all the regional tour dates with the exception of Venue Cymru, Llandudno (2 – 5 January) and Wales Millennium, Cardiff (22 – 26 January), where Welsh-born Owain Arthur, who is currently appearing as Francis Henshall in the West End production of One Man, Two Guvnors, will play the role. The tour visits Leicester Curve (25 Oct – 3 Nov), Newcastle Theatre Royal (6 – 10 Nov), Glasgow Theatre Royal (13 – 17 Nov), Belfast Grand Opera (20 – 24 Nov), Blackpool Grand (27 Nov – 1 Dec), Norwich Theatre Royal (4 – 8 Dec), Leeds Grand (11 – 15 Dec), The Lowry, Salford (8 – 19 Jan) and Nottingham Theatre Royal (29 Jan – 2 Feb. This second UK tour will play alongside the show’s West End run, where it is currently booking at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket until January 2013. Following its UK tour, the production tours internationally with Owain Arthur leading the cast, visiting the Hong Kong Festival (15 – 23 February), the Adelaide Festival (28 February – 9 March), the Auckland Festival (14 – 23 March), Sydney Theatre (30 March – 11 May) and Melbourne Arts Centre (17 May – 29 June).   NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE The fourth season of National Theatre Live broadcasts continues Pinero’s The Magistrate (17 January); Alan Bennett’s PEOPLE (21 March); and James Graham’s THIS HOUSE (16 May). The recent broadcasts of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and The Last of the Haussmans achieved record UK audiences, with almost 250 UK cinemas and performing arts venues now hosting the broadcasts. Over one million people worldwide have now seen a National Theatre Live broadcast in 24 countries. National Theatre Live is supported by Aviva. For venue information and booking details, please visit www.ntlive.com   PRODUCTION AND CASTING UPDATES   PEOPLE The cast for Alan Bennett’s PEOPLE, opening in the Lyttelton on 7 November, is led by Frances de la Tour, Selina Cadell and Linda Bassett, with: Frances Ashman, Ellie Burrow, Philip Childs, Jack Chissick, Giles Cooper, Carole Dance, Andy de la Tour, Peter Egan, Miles Jupp, Barbara Kirby, Nicholas le Prevost, Jess Murphy, Alastair Parker, Robin Pearce and Alexander Warner. The production is directed by Nicholas Hytner. THE MAGISTRATE Timothy Sheader’s production of  Pinero’s farce The Magistrate opens in the Olivier Theatre on 14 November. John Lithgow plays the title role;  joining him in the cast are: Nicholas Blane, Nicholas Burns, Nancy Carroll, Tamsin Carroll, Alexander Cobb, Christina Cole, Jonathan Coy, Richard Freeman. Don Gallagher, Amy Griffiths, Joshua Lacey, Christopher Logan, Nicholas Lumley, Joshua Manning, Joshua McGuire, Sean McKenzie, Sarah Ovens, Peter Polycarpou, Beverly Rudd, Roger Sloman and Jez Unwin. HANSEL AND GRETEL The cast for Katie Mitchell’s production of HANSEL AND GRETEL, written by Lucy Kirkwood and devised by Katie Mitchell and Lucy Kirkwood, based on the story by the Brothers Grimm, is: Ruby Bentall, Kate Duchêne, Dylan Kennedy, Justin Salinger and Amit Shah. Hansel and Gretel opens in the Cottesloe on 13 December.   PLATFORMS www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/platforms 6pm (45 mins), £4/£3 unless stated;  BS = Platform followed by booksigning Tom Cairns on Scenes from an Execution           Mon 12 Nov, Lyttelton The director discusses his new production with Genista McIntosh. Howard Barker                                                          Tue 13 Nov, Lyttelton BS The writer of Scenes from an Execution talks to Mark Brown about his work. Life Saving: Josephine Hart’s Introduction to Great Poets  Wed 14 Nov, Lyttelton As Josephine Hart’s illuminating introductions are published posthumously, actors including Fiona Shaw read her selection of British and Irish verse.  Phil Redmond                                                           Mon 19 Nov, Cottesloe BS Mid-Term Report is the story of a working class lad from Liverpool, who created Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks, and became one of the most influential producers and screenwriters in modern TV history. Edna O’Brien                                                             Tue 20 Nov, Cottesloe BS In Country Girl, the author reflects on a literary life of high drama, which began in 1960 with her controversial first novel, The Country Girls. Chaired by Mark Lawson. Alan Bennett                                                             Wed 21 Nov, Lyttelton Alan Bennett reads from his work, and talks about his new play, People. Rupert Goold and Lucy Prebble on The Effect     Fri 23 Nov, Cottesloe The director and playwright discuss this co-production between the NT and Headlong. Chaired by Dan Rebellato.  Ray Cooney                                                               Tue 27 Nov, Cottesloe BS Marking his 80th birthday and his 66-year career, including the play Run for Your Wife, the comedy writer talks to Roger Foss, author of May the Farce Be With You. The Political Dairy                                                    Wed 28 Nov, Cottesloe BS Chris Mullin, former MP, diarist and author of A Very British Coup, joins Ruth Winstone, editor of Events, Dear Boy, Events, a compilation of 20th-century political diarists, to discuss Britain’s political triumphs and disasters. Chaired by Genista McIntosh. An Evening with Private Eye           Mon 3 Dec, 5.45pm (1hr) £5/£4, Olivier BS Ian Hislop takes a satirical look at the events and people of 2012 with Craig Brown, Harry Enfield, Lewis Macleod, Jan Ravens and John Sessions. Michael Morpurgo                                                    Wed 5 Dec, Olivier BS The author talks about his life and work with his biographer, Maggie Fergusson, and reads a new autobiographical short story from War Horse to War Child John Lithgow                                                                        Mon 10 Dec, Olivier BS Currently appearing in The Magistrate, the actor, musician and author talks to Nicholas Hytner about his career, which includes Dexter on TV, and the Shrek films. Theatre Quiz                                                             Mon 17 Dec, Olivier The annual battle for theatrical knowledge between two competing teams from NT companies, hosted by quizmistress Emma Freud. Philip Pullman                                                           Wed 2 Jan, Olivier BS Philip Pullman talks about his approach to retelling the fairytales of the Brothers Grimm in his new version of the stories, Grimm’s Tales for Young and Old, as Hansel and Gretel plays in the Cottesloe. Timothy Sheader on The Magistrate                      Fri 4 Jan, Olivier The director discusses his production of Pinero’s farce. Mark Rylance                                                                        Mon 7 Jan, Cottesloe BS The actor, director and writer reads from and talks about his first play, I Am Shakespeare. The Annual Jocelyn Herbert Lecture Christopher Hampton – Simplifying the Jungle                                                                       Fri 11 Jan, Olivier Christopher Hampton, whose screenplays include Dangerous Liaisons and Atonement, worked with Jocelyn Herbert on two of his plays. He gives a playwright’s perspective on the role of the designer in the theatre. Jonathan Miller                                                         Mon 14 Jan, Cottesloe BS The director, author, broadcaster, humorist and sculptor talks to Kate Bassett, author of In Two Minds: A Biography of Jonathan Miller. Ian Kelly                                                                     Tue 15 Jan, Cottesloe BS The actor and historian discusses Mr Foote’s Other Leg, the riotously true story of the one-legged comedian and ‘Oscar Wilde’ of the Georgian stage, Samuel Foote. Steven Berkoff                                                          Tue 22 Jan, Cottesloe BS The actor, director, writer and playwright talks to Geoffrey Colman about a new collection of his one-act plays – sharply written, shocking and endlessly surprising. Andy de la Tour                                                        Tue 5 Feb, Cottesloe BS In his book Stand-up or Die, the actor currently appearing in People takes us on a journey into the gritty underground New York comedy circuit. He discusses the experience with Miles Jupp. Marianne Elliot and Simon Stephens on Port       Thu 7 Feb, Lyttelton The director and playwright talk to Rachel Cooke about the new production. Benedict Nightingale                                                Fri 8 Feb, Cottesloe BS The former Times theatre critic is joined by Michael Billington to discuss Great Moments in Theatre, his entertaining tour through theatrical openings from Oedipus Rex to Jerusalem, including Plenty and Arcadia at the NT. Adrian Noble on The Captain of Köpenick            Tue 5 Mar, Olivier The director talks about his production. James Graham and Jeremy Herrin on This House   Tue 19 Mar, Olivier The writer and director discuss the production with Christopher Campbell as it transfers from the Cottesloe. In Conversation with…                                            3pm (1hr), £5/£4 Afternoon interviews with members of the company, talking to Al Senter about their current role and career, and answering your questions. Fiona Shaw Wed 14 Nov, Lyttelton Billie Piper Mon 7 Jan, Cottesloe   FREE EXHIBITIONS www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/exhibitions  Dazzle Olivier Exhibition Space, 5 November – 6 January Dazzle returns for the annual Christmas selling exhibition of jewellery, silversmithing and printmaking. The largest show of its kind in Europe, Dazzle is remarkable for the variety of materials on show beyond the usual precious metals and stones. This year, they include wood, paper, plastics and even Whitby jet – Jacqueline Cullen is the world’s leading exponent of this material. And Heather Woof has a totally new take on the refractory metal titanium that is causing a sensation among jewellery collectors. Over the years the exhibition has become a must-see for lovers of designer jewellery and all items are for sale. Take a View – Landscape Photographer of the Year 2012 Lyttelton Exhibition Space, 12 November – 12 January See the winning pictures from the Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards 2012 for the first time. Over 100 stunning photographs, celebrating some of the very best landscapes in the UK, will be on display from this popular annual competition, now in its sixth year. A full colour book will also be available from the NT Bookshop. This year’s Awards are held in association with Network Rail, with the exhibition sponsored by Epson UK. Seeing landscape – Photographer and awards founder, Charlie Waite, will be giving talks on his own personal approach to photography plus guided tours of the exhibition. Dates to be announced, please check website for details. Echoes of a Vanished World: A Lifetime in Pictures, by Robin Hanbury-Tenison Olivier Exhibition Space, 14 January – 10 March Robin Hanbury-Tenison, the “greatest explorer of the last twenty years” (Sunday Times) is also one of the founders of Survival International. As such, he has been a tireless champion of the rights of indigenous peoples and, in the early years of his travels, an obsessive photographer of their homelands as they were eroded by the modern world.   Release issued by: National Theatre press office LINKS National Theatre website Book tickets to One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket Book tickets to War Horse at the New London Theatre  

The National Theatre’s award-winning production of War Horse last night (25 October 2012) celebrated its fifth anniversary in London with a special performance at the New London Theatre, Drury Lane. Former cast members and the show’s creative team gathered with VIPs and friends to celebrate five years on the London stage. Since its early experimental days at the National Theatre Studio, War Horse has become a national and international phenomenon. It opened at the National’s Olivier Theatre in October 2007 and transferred to the New London in March 2009. More than 1.6 million people have seen the show in London with over 2.4 million people seeing the production worldwide. A ten month, nine-venue tour of the UK and Ireland will begin in Autumn 2013; productions of the show are currently running in New York, Toronto and on a North American tour, with future productions planned for Australia and Berlin. Nicholas Hytner, Director of the National Theatre said: “War Horse caught the imagination of audiences from its very first outing at the National, but none of us could have foreseen that this astonishing production would still be engendering the same heartfelt response five years later. It’s a show which could only have been developed in the subsidised theatre, where the ability to risk-take and experiment is beyond price. I salute the hundreds of theatre-makers, puppeteers and artists who have been part of War Horse’s remarkable journey.” Michael Morpurgo, author of the original novel said: “From a Devon meadow a hundred and more years ago, to the battlefields of the First World War, to London, to New York, and soon to Australia and Berlin, our Joey keeps on running. It’s five years since the National Theatre took this little known story, and transformed it, told it their way, wonderfully. Since that night in the Olivier when Joey first trotted out into the spotlight, millions of grown-up children and children around the world have come to know and love Joey's story, through play, film, concert and book. So thank you National Theatre, thank you Joey, and thank you especially to those actors and puppeteers who go on every night and make War Horse the unique theatrical event it has become.” Marianne Elliot and Tom Morris, co-directors of War Horse added: “We can’t believe that War Horse is celebrating its fifth anniversary. We are so proud of our show. It was a huge team that made it happen – much bigger than any of the teams either of us have worked with before or since. What we ended up with was something far greater than any one of us could have ever imagined.” War Horse is the powerful story of a young boy called Albert and his beloved horse, Joey, who has been requisitioned to fight for the English in World War I. Caught in enemy crossfire, Joey ends up serving on both sides during the war before landing in no man’s land, while Albert, not old enough to enlist, embarks on a treacherous mission to find his horse and bring him home. A remarkable tale of courage, loyalty and friendship, War Horse features ground-breaking puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company which brings breathing and galloping horses to life on stage. War Horse is based on a novel by Michael Morpurgo, adapted by Nick Stafford and presented in association with Handspring Puppet Company. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, it is designed by Rae Smith, lighting is by Paule Constable and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick. The puppetry directors are Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler, with video design by 59 Productions Ltd, song-making by John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt. War Horse Facts and Figures War Horse received its World Premiere at the National Theatre on 9 October 2007 (press night: 17 October) and played in the Olivier for 92 performances until 14 February 2008 and was seen by over 104,000 people. War Horse returned to the National Theatre for a second run playing from 10 September 2008 – 18 March 2009 for a total of 114 performances and was seen by a further 130,000 people. War Horse transferred to the West End in 2009 with its first performance at the New London Theatre on 28 March 2009. War Horse is currently booking until 26 October 2013 at the New London Theatre.As of October 2012, more than 1.6 million people will have seen War Horse in London, with over 2.4 million seeing the production worldwide. War Horse has been seen by The Queen, Prince Phillip, Princess Anne, Prince William and Prince Harry as well as many other famous faces from stage, screen and entertainment. The New York production of War Horse opened on 14 April 2011 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center and will run until 6 January 2013. Having seen the show at the New London Theatre, Steven Spielberg turned Michael Morpurgo’s novel into a film starring Jeremy Irvine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston and Emily Watson, which premiered in January 2012. The Toronto production opened in February 2012 at the Princess of Wales Theatre and will run until 6 January 2013. A North American tour began in Los Angeles in June 2012 and will visit 27 cities in its first year. An Australian production will open at the Melbourne Arts Centre State Theatre on 31 December 2012 and will go on to play seasons in Sydney and Brisbane. In autumn 2013 a German language production will open at the historic Theater des Westens in Berlin. A UK Tour will begin in Autumn 2013, visiting Plymouth, Birmingham, Salford, Edinburgh, Southampton, Sunderland, Bradford and Cardiff, and also Dublin. The puppets in War Horse were created by Adrian Kohler and Basil Jones of South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, based in Cape Town. They are made of cane and stretched georgette and are operated by puppeteers. War Horse has 18 puppets, including horses Joey and Topthorn, as well as a goose, two swallows and two crows. Over 850 people have been employed worldwide on War Horse Among its many international awards, War Horse won six Tony Awards, including ‘Best Play’ and a ‘Special Tony Award’ for Handspring Puppet Company. Release issued by: Premier PR LINKS Book tickets to WAR HORSE at the New London Theatre

The National Theatre’s Laurence Olivier award-winning production of War Horse at the New London Theatre has released 140,000 new tickets for sale, taking bookings up to 16 February 2013. Nick Stafford’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s book has been playing to packed houses at the New London Theatre since March 2009. The Broadway production of War Horse, which recently opened at the Lincoln Center’s Vivien Beaumont Theatre, was the winner of six Tony Awards including a Special Tony Award for Handspring Puppet Company. A further production is due to open in February 2012 at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto, with a US tour scheduled to start in Los Angeles in June 2012. Later this year Stephen Spielberg’s film version of War Horse will be released. 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 odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, War Horse is designed by Rae Smith, with puppet design and fabrication by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, lighting by Paule Constable, and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick; the puppetry directors are Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler, with video design by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer, songmaker John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt. War Horse is produced in the West End by the National Theatre and National Angels. Release issued by: Premier PR LINKS Book tickets to War Horse at the New London Theatre

At a star-studded ceremony last night, Sunday 12 June 2011, at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, the American Theatre Wing's 65th annual Tony Awards were announced. British play War Horse triumphed at the awards winning 5 gongs, including Best Play. British actor Mark Rylance won a Best Actor awards for his performance in the Royal Court's Jerusalem. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Mark Rylance wins a Best Actor Tony for Jerusalem. Photo: CBS"][/caption] The Book of Mormon, which has proved an unlikely smash-hit on Broadway, swept the awards with 9 wins out of its 14 nominations, including Best New Musical, and Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score for its authors Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, and Robert Lopez. Neil Patrick Harris hosted a fun and unusually irreverent night, which opened with a tongue-in-cheek “did they really say that?” song-and-dance number, arguing that the range of Broadway shows on offer meant that the Great White Way was no longer “just for gays”. The National Theatre’s production of War Horse, which is currently running at the New London Theatre in London and also at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in New York, won 5 awards including Best Play for author Nick Stafford, Best Direction of a Play for Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, Best Scenic Design of a Play for Rae Smith, Best Lighting Design of a Play for Paule Constable and Best Sound Design of a Play for Christopher Shutt. A special Tony Award was also given to the Handspring Puppet Company, who have produced the life-size horse puppets for the show. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Neil Patrick Harris presented this year's awards"][/caption] Other big winners last night included two revivals, Anything Goes, which won 3 awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Larry Kramer’s 1985 hit The Normal Heart, which also won 3 awards including Best Revival of a Play. Big name stars who brought home awards included our very own Mark Rylance, who beat Al Pacino for the Best Actor in a Play award for his bravado performance in Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem, his second Tony awards following his 2008 win for Boeing-Boeing, Ellen Barkin in The Normal Heart, and Frances McDormand winning Best Actress in a Play for Good People. The most impassioned acceptance speech of the night came from AIDS activist Larry Kramer, whose play The Normal Heart scooped 3 awards and who said: “I could not have written it had not so many of us so needlessly died.. Learn from it, and carry on the fight. Let them know that we are a very special people, an exceptional people. And that our day will come.” Brits who were nominated but missed out on awards this year included Jerusalem author Jez Butterworth, Joanna Lumley and costume designer Mark Thompson for La Bete, Kneehigh's production of Noel Coward’s Brief Encounter and its leading lady Hannah Yelland, Vanessa Redgrave for Driving Miss Daisy, Adam Godley for Anything Goes, Brian Bedford for The Importance of Being Earnest and Tom Stoppard's play Arcadia. The awards were broadcast live by CBS in the States. See the full list of 2011 Tony Award winners here. LINKS Tony Award winners 2011 Tony Award nominations 2011 Book tickets to Broadway shows

MICHAEL MORPURGO’S WEST END HIT GALLOPS INTO OCTOBER 2012 Today, 6 June, the National Theatre’s award-winning production of War Horse at the New London Theatre will release over 290,000 new tickets for sale, taking bookings up to 20 October 2012. Nick Stafford’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s book has been playing to packed houses at the New London Theatre since March 2009. The Broadway production of War Horse, which recently opened at the Lincoln Center’s Vivien Beaumont Theatre, has won 8 awards as well as being nominated for 5 Tony Awards. In addition Handspring Puppet Company will receive a Special Tony Award at this year's ceremony on 12 June. A further production is due to open in February 2012 at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto, with a US tour scheduled to start in Los Angeles in June 2012. 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 odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, War Horse is designed by Rae Smith, with puppet design and fabrication by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, lighting by Paule Constable, and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick; the puppetry directors are Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler, with video design by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer, songmaker John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt. The current West End cast comprises Stuart Angell (Joey/Topthorn heart), Nigel Betts (Arthur Narracott/Sgt. Thunder), Nicholas Bishop (Captain Nicholls), Joshua Blake (John Greig), Hannah Boyde (Annie Gilbert), Pascale Burgess (Paulette), Ellie Burrow (Baby Joey heart/hind) Emily Cooper (Joey/ Topthorn hind/Goose), Matt Costain (Topthorn hind), Ewen Cummins (Chapman Carter/Colonel Strauss/Soldat Schmidt), Danny Dalton (David Taylor), Salvatore D’Aquilla (Klebb/Sentry Shaw), Matthew Forbes (Joey hind), Thomas Goodridge (Joey/Topthorn hind), David Grewcock (Joey/Topthorn head), Stephen Harper (Joey/Topthorn head/Goose/Geordie), Christian Jenner (Dr Schweyk/Heine/Sgt. Fine), Curtis Jordan (Topthorn head/Goose), Nicolas Karimi (Topthorn heart/Geordie), Sarah Mardel (Baby Joey head/Emilie), Shaun McKee (Joey/Topthorn heart/Geordie), Jack Monaghan (Albert Narracott), Jack Parker (Baby Joey heart/hind/Coco), Malcolm Ridley (Sgt.Allan/Schnabel/Manfred), Patrick Robinson (Friedrich Muller), Ruth Rogers (Joey head), Saul Rose (Songman), Mat Ruttle (Bone/Heine), William Rycroft (Captain Stewart/Rudi), Eliot Short (Fiddler), Anthony Shuster (Priest/Karl/Vet Martin), Nicola Stephenson (Rose Narracott), David Walmsley (Billy Narracott/Coco/Ludwig), Andy Williams (Ted Narracott) and Thomas Wilton (Joey heart). War Horse is produced in the West End by the National Theatre and National Angels. Release issued by Premier PR LINKS Book tickets to War Horse at the New London Theatre

From Wednesday 9 March 2011 Nicola Stephenson and Patrick Robinson will join the West End cast of the National Theatre’s hit production of War Horse which is currently taking bookings at the New London Theatre to 18 February 2012. Nicola Stephenson will play Albert’s mother, Rose Narracott, and Patrick Robinson will play German soldier Friedrich Muller. Now in its fifth year, Nick Stafford’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s book has been playing to packed houses at the New London Theatre where the production has recently welcomed its 1 millionth visitor. In 2010 War Horse played to 97% capacity throughout the year and repeatedly broke the record for the highest weekly gross for a play in the West End. On 15 March this year previews will begin for the Broadway production of War Horse at the Vivien Beaumont Theatre at the Lincoln Center, with opening night scheduled for 14 April 2011. A further production is due to open in February 2012 at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto. 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 odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, War Horse is designed by Rae Smith, with puppet design and fabrication by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, lighting by Paule Constable, and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick; the puppetry directors are Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler, with video design by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer, songmaker John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt. Nicola Stephenson is best known on television for playing Nurse Julie Fitzjohn in the long running BBC drama Holby City and Suzie Davidson in the BBC’s Clocking Off. She has also appeared on television in Law and Order, Larkrise to Candleford, Superstorm, The Chase, Northern Lights, Legless, Waking the Dead, Dead Man Weds, The Hitch, Without You, Big Bad World, My Wonderful Life, Wokenwell, Out of the Blue and Brookside. Her theatre credits include Edmund and His Girl Friday for the National Theatre and A Patriot for Me for the Royal Shakespeare Company and on film her credits include All in the Game, The Walk, Christmas Lights, State of the Party, Go Back Out and The Rainbow. As well as his extensive theatre career, Patrick Robinson is best known on television for playing Nurse Martin ‘Ash’ Ashford in the long-running BBC medical drama Casualty as well as Detective Constable Jacob Banks in ITV’s The Bill. His many theatre credits include Mappa Mundi for the National Theatre, Much Ado About Nothing, King John, King Lear, Richard III, All God’s Children Got Wings, The Great White Hope, Class Enemy, and Romeo and Juliet for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Rough Crossings for Headlong, Gem of the Ocean and Guantanamo for the Tricycle Theatre, Festen for the Almeida Theatre and in the West End and Dangerous Corner for West Yorkshire Playhouse and West End. His other television credits include Tracy Beaker, Who Dares Wins, Daylight Robbery, Julius Caesar, Troublemakers and Total Eclipse. His film credits include Belly of the Beast in which he played opposite Steven Seagal, as well as The Bee Stung Wasp, Monument, Driven and Four Days to Zero. From 9 March the West End cast comprises Stuart Angell (Joey/Topthorn heart), Nigel Betts (Arthur Narracott/Sgt. Thunder), Nicholas Bishop (Captain Nicholls), Joshua Blake (John Greig), Hannah Boyde (Annie Gilbert), Pascale Burgess (Paulette), Ellie Burrow (Baby Joeyheart/hind) Emily Cooper (Joey/ Topthorn hind/Goose), Matt Costain (Topthorn hind), Ewen Cummins (Chapman Carter/Colonel Strauss/Soldat Schmidt), Danny Dalton (David Taylor), Salvatore D’Aquila (Klebb/Sentry Shaw), Matthew Forbes (Joeyhind), Thomas Goodridge (Joey/Topthorn hind), David Grewcock (Joey/Topthorn head), Stephen Harper (Joey/Topthorn head/Goose/Geordie), Christian Jenner (Dr Schweyk/Heine heart/Sgt. Fine), Curtis Jordan (Topthorn head/Goose), Nicolas Karimi (Topthorn heart/Geordie), Sarah Mardel (Baby Joey head/Emilie), Shaun McKee (Joey/Topthorn heart/Geordie), Jack Monaghan (Albert Narracott), Jack Parker (Baby Joey heart/hind/Coco heart), Malcolm Ridley (Sgt.Allan/Schnabel/Manfred), Patrick Robinson (Friedrich Muller), Ruth Rogers (Joeyhead), Saul Rose (Songman), Mat Ruttle (Bone/Heine hind), William Rycroft (Captain Stewart/Rudi), Eliot Short (Fiddler), Anthony Shuster (Priest/Karl/Vet Martin), Nicola Stephenson (Rose Narracott), David Walmesley (Billy Narracott/Coco hind/Ludwig), Andy Williams (Ted Narracott) and Thomas Wilton (Joeyheart). War Horse is produced in the West End by the National Theatre and National Angels. Release issued by: Premier PR LINKS Book tickets to War Horse at the New London Theatre

The National Theatre’s epic, Olivier Award-winning World War I family drama based on the celebrated novel by Michael Morpurgo and featuring actors working with life-sized puppets. Book tickets to War Horse More information about the show More information about the New London Theatre VIDEO War Horse at the New London Theatre LINKS Watch more videos on West End Theatre TV