A new musical playing at the Lincoln Center Theater on Broadway, is turning heads, and capturing the hearts and minds of people from all over the world. 'War Horse', a musical based upon a children's book by author Michael Morpurgo, is getting rave reviews from practically every critic that sees the show.
Hardly any review mentions the music, or any of the actors that perform night after night. In fact, it has been reported that at some performances, the audience reserves their standing ovation for the true thespians of the musical: the puppets. That's right, the puppets.
'War Horse' takes place during the time of World War I. A boy's young horse is sold to the cavalry, and sent to France. During the course of the war, he ends up serving on both sides of the fight, eventually finding himself in no man's land once the war is over. As the boy, now a young man, gets older, he embarks on a trek across the world to find the one thing he's ever loved and bring him home.
For many years, the theatre has wanted to use live animals, especially horses, on the stage. Sadly, due to all of the variables (the audience, rigging, stage hands, etc.), horses have been highly unpredictable. Not to mention, they crap everywhere. All the way around, regardless of how docile or trained the animal is, it has never worked successfully.
A couple of years ago, the Handspring Puppet Company, a company out of South Africa, set out to create the impossible: a lifesize, realistic, and, above all, believable, horse puppet. At the International TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference, in March of 2011, Adrian Kohler and Basil Jones of Handspring introduced their latest design. The response was nothing short of shock and awe. **It's an 18 minute clip. I suggest watching the first minute or so, then fast forward to about 8:30 in. You won't be disappointed.**
The puppet is so believable, that after the first 30 seconds or so, you don't seem to notice the four human legs standing under the horse. These puppets are the ones that were to be used in 'War Horse'.
Jim Henson would be proud.
Hardly any review mentions the music, or any of the actors that perform night after night. In fact, it has been reported that at some performances, the audience reserves their standing ovation for the true thespians of the musical: the puppets. That's right, the puppets.
'War Horse' takes place during the time of World War I. A boy's young horse is sold to the cavalry, and sent to France. During the course of the war, he ends up serving on both sides of the fight, eventually finding himself in no man's land once the war is over. As the boy, now a young man, gets older, he embarks on a trek across the world to find the one thing he's ever loved and bring him home.
For many years, the theatre has wanted to use live animals, especially horses, on the stage. Sadly, due to all of the variables (the audience, rigging, stage hands, etc.), horses have been highly unpredictable. Not to mention, they crap everywhere. All the way around, regardless of how docile or trained the animal is, it has never worked successfully.
A couple of years ago, the Handspring Puppet Company, a company out of South Africa, set out to create the impossible: a lifesize, realistic, and, above all, believable, horse puppet. At the International TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference, in March of 2011, Adrian Kohler and Basil Jones of Handspring introduced their latest design. The response was nothing short of shock and awe. **It's an 18 minute clip. I suggest watching the first minute or so, then fast forward to about 8:30 in. You won't be disappointed.**
The puppet is so believable, that after the first 30 seconds or so, you don't seem to notice the four human legs standing under the horse. These puppets are the ones that were to be used in 'War Horse'.
At over 2 hours and 40 minutes long, it getting a reputation as a marathon of a show. But the reviews are astounding.
From 'Time Out New York': "War Horse will make you believe that puppets live and breathe, and perhaps even have souls."
From 'The New York Times': "When was the last time a puppet made you cry?"
And, from Broadway.com: "Judging from a previewed scene involving a fence and a tangle of barbed wire, audiences are in for an emotional experience at War Horse."Here is a montage of scenes from the Broadway production to give you an idea of what to expect.
Jim Henson would be proud.
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