The Bushnell, Hartford, CT
www.bushnell.org
through February 2, 2014
by Shera Cohen
It is impossible to think that any piece of theatre could be
as superbly all-inclusive of the hundreds of elements that create the perfect
play production as “War Horse.” Look in a thesaurus for rows upon rows of
superlatives synonymous to any of the following words, and the reader can only
come close to describing this play: exemplary, innovative, creative, ingenious.
The star is Joey, who grows from a foal to a full-sized
horse. He is made of fabrics, metal, and wood. He is real. Granted, no attempts
are made to hide the three actors who shape the body, sounds, and demeanor of
Joey. While this trio of puppet masters are visible, within 30-seconds the
audience is oblivious to their presence. The Handspring Puppet Company are the
geniuses who gave birth to Joey. Joey runs and struts like a horse, neighs and
breathes like a horse. Again, he is real.
His owner/friend Albert, is a farm boy from Great Britain.
Yet, this is not just a story about a boy and his horse. Played against the
seemingly literal backdrop of WWI, the hell of this conflagration to man and
“beast” is wrenching. The technical effects of explosions are particularly
terrifying, not just loud. War is seen and felt just as much by Joey as by
Albert.
The exposition of three scenes in particular showcase the
puppeteers' talents: Joey’s
miraculous efforts to till the rock-ridden soil, his rivalry turned friendship
with horse Topthorne, and his struggle caught in barbed wire along enemy lines.
The set is minimal and, in that sparseness, multiple scene drawings fixed overhead
carry Joey and the play forward. Interspersed folk songs of the early 20th century
string scenes from one to another.
“War Horse” is a play. Plays are nice, or not, but they are
worthless without superior production qualities. “War Horse” has become a
benchmark of excellence for future and even many past play productions.
Note #1: This was my second experience of “War Horse” -- the
first in London. The Bushnell’s venue is near comparable.
Note #2: In spite of pre-curtain announcements about cell
phone disturbance, many do not heed this rule. This is boorish and unfair to others.
