War Horse tour – first look at rehearsals

Rehearsal photos have been revealed for the award-winning play War Horse, which is about to embark on a new tour.

Marianne Elliott, Tom Morris and Nick Stafford’s version of Michael Morpurgo’s story follows a horse as it crosses over to the Western Front to witness the horrors of the trenches.

The piece is directed by 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, sound design is by Christopher Shutt, and casting is by Jill Green. They are joined by associate designer Will Fricker, associate costume designer Johanna Coe, associate lighting designer Tom Turner, associate sound designer Rob Bettle, assistant sound designer Raffaela Pancucci, musical director Dom Coyote, fight director Paul Benzing, voice coach Carol Fairlamb, dialect coach Rebecca Daltry, resident director Anna Marshall and assistant puppetry director Lewis Howard.

The full cast of 35 includes Rianna Ash (Joey/Topthorn head), Alexander Ballinger (Friedrich/Allan), Diany Samba-Bandza (Emilie/Baby Joey), Eloise Beaumont-Wood (Baby Joey), Ike Bennett (David Taylor/Thomas Bone), Haydn Burke (Billy Narracott/Heine/Klebb), Sophie Cartman (Matron Callaghan), Jo Castleton (Rose Narracott), Owen Dagnall (Geordie), Alexandra Donnachie (Joey/Topthorn head), Felicity Donnelly (Joey/Topthorn hind), Tom Gilbey (Sergeant Fine), Thomas Goodridge (Joey/Topthorn hind), Karl Haynes (Ted Narracott), Robin Hayward (Joey/Topthorn heart), Michael Larcombe (Joey/Topthorn hind), Matthew Lawrence (Joey/Topthorn head), Madeleine Leslay (Paulette/Sarah Carter), Jack Lord (Klausen), Damian Lynch (Carter/Strauss), Lewis McBean (Joey/Topthorn heart), Chris Milford (Joey/Tophorn heart), Jordan Paris (Baby Joey), Anne-Marie Piazza (Nell Allan/Schnabel), Tea Poldervaart (Joey/Topthorn head), Lucy Thorburn (Jenny Bone/Annie Gilbert), Gareth Radcliffe (Arthur Narracott/Sergeant Thunder), Daniel Rock (Captain Stewart/Ludwig), Tom Sturgess (Albert Narracott), Alistair So (Vet Martin), Simon Stanhope (Manfred), Gun Suen (Joey/Topthorn hind), Sally Swanson (The Singer), Chris Williams (Lieutenant Nicholls/Dr Schewyk) and Rafe Young (Joey/Topthorn heart).

The new tour will open on 5 September at the New Wimbledon Theatre, before visiting the Lowry in Salford from 18 September, the Mayflower, Southampton from 8 October, Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre from 22 October, Sunderland Empire from 5 November, Theatre Royal Plymouth from 26 November and New Theatre Oxford from 10 December for an extended festive run.

It will then continue through to New Victoria Theatre, Woking from 14 January, Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin from 29 January, Grand Opera House, Belfast from 4 February, the Regent Theatre Stoke from 4 March, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 11 March, Theatre Royal Glasgow from 25 March, Liverpool Empire from 8 April, Milton Keynes Theatre from 22 April, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall from 6 May and Bristol Hippodrome from 3 June.

Further dates include Leeds Grand Theatre (19 August to 6 September 2025), Edinburgh Festival Theatre (2 to 11 October 2025), Wales Millennium Centre (14 to 25 October 2025) and Norwich Theatre Royal (28 October to 8 November 2025).

Tickets for select dates are on sale below.