Warhorse, Again

Joey as a foal

I couldn't quite commit myself to going to Warhorse, though it was in the back of my mind to go.  At the 11th hour I thought to myself, "If I were in London and this opportunity was available to me, I would be out of the apartment in a flash", and with that in mind I made a quick exit, running for the LRT and remembering how many times I had run for the tube in London.

Richard had been mulling over in his head, wondering if he should take Michael.  They had watched the TED talk about making the puppets.  And they had watched the utube clip where Joey, the horse, first learns to eat oats out of a bucket.

As I was sitting in a packed theatre -- unusual, but true -- I was wondering how Michael would have taken to the rest of the performance.  In discussion with Rebecca and Duncan afterwards, who had seen it in Victoria, she was commenting on the music and the lighting -- how those two elements captured the horror of World War I.  Most of the Brooks family have seen this show before, so there were probably 7 of us for whom this was at least the second viewing.

I like the other puppets as well.  The goose plays the part of the dunce or clown in Shakespearian plays.  And the birds flying in the air?  I think it is Wordsworth who alludes to "the willing suspension of disbelief".  I think that is why the birds work.

Charise had reminded me that the people who work the puppet that is a foal are dressed in period costumes.  I hadn't remembered that, but she was right.  The same is true of the people who were the fence.    I was also intrigued this time by the different languages spoken in the play, and how that doesn't seem to matter to people who can't speak French or German -- maybe there is even some Flemish spoken.  I don't know.  The show seemed to be able to carry on with just what we could see was happening with the actor's bodies.

Duncan was surprised at how realistic the entrance of the tank was.  I was shocked into a reality with just the text on the screen telling us it was November 11, 1981.

Yesterday was my 3rd film viewing to go along with my 2 stage viewings.  I have to accept the title of groupie on this piece of theatre.

Arta