The latest in the series 'The National Theatre at Work' follows the production of War Horse from early concept workshops, through the design and development of the magnificent life-size horse puppets, research of the play's languages and wartime setting, the exploratory process of making the adaptation, rehearsals with the ensemble, and onto the Olivier stage.
Mervin Millar's unique perspective as a member of the creative team and a puppeteer gives an extraordinary insight into the way this stage version of Michael Morpurgo's novel takes audiences on a journey through history.
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
An actor enters and gives flight to a puppet of a bird that circles the huge, empty stage; the play begins.
Very early on in the creative process the bird in flight was the opening image of "War Horse," the stage version of Michael Morpurgo's novel of an English farm horse, Joey, shipped off to the Western Front during World War I. The bird symbolically christened the acting space and introduced the audience to the stage magic to follow.
The opening image is just one of many creative decisions the artistic team had to make during the long, complex process adapting Morpurgo's novel for the National Theatre's Olivier stage in London.
"The Horse's Mouth: Staging Morpurgo's War Horse," is an insider's look at that creative process. The book, one in a series of handbooks that explore National Theatre productions, is a fascinating story about the development of "War Horse," which has had audiences jumping to their feet since it opened in 2008.
This is a play about a horse, originally told through the eyes of the horse, Joey. It's a love story about the horse and a boy, Albert. It's a war story experienced dispassionately by the horse.
"War Horse" is a huge, sprawling production. Transferred from the page to stage, Joey is portrayed by a larger-than-life puppet operated by three puppeteers. Joey is one of several horse, human and animal puppets at the center of the story. The large cast also includes more than 30 actors playing various roles.
Most of the creative effort took place in three workshops held - before rehearsals ever began - for one week in 2005, two weeks in 2006 and three and a half weeks in 2007. "The Horse's Mouth" is the story of the workshops and how the play developed. A workshop contributor, author Mervyn Millar participated as a member of the South African Handspring Puppet Company, which collaborated on the production and designed and developed the extraordinary puppets.
The "War Horse" stage adaption began as a 13-page synopsis turned into a five-act play by English playwright Nick Stafford. How to bring a puppet of a horse to life, how to make it real for the audience and to have Joey respond to the people in the story represented the greatest creative test.
"Real horses don't move a great deal and don't usually make a lot of noise. Consequently the tools we have to create these relationships are limited - breath, tension, the occasional vocalized whicker or whinny, and well chosen use of tail and ears," said one of the workshop participants.
Then it began to appear as if that the puppeteers might have done too good of a job, been too creative.
"War Horse" is an extremely emotional story about a boy and his horse. It also is a war story about cruelty and destruction. Perhaps in its staging the play was becoming overly melodramatic, too overwrought.
The creative team worried that they didn't want to swerve too far toward an "extremely sentimental piece of theater." They worked to achieve the balance between making something very affecting to the audience "without necessarily making people cry at every moment." If audience reaction is the best test, they achieved their balance and became affecting in a truly extraordinary way.
There are many ways to experience War Horse:
* The novel by Michael Morpurgo
* The dramatization by Nick Stafford
* The play, which is still selling out on London's West End
* The play, which opens in April 2011 on Broadway in New York
* The movie, directed by Steven Spielberg, scheduled to open in the United States Dec. 28, 2011
Millar's account of the play's staging is yet another piece in the "War Horse" package. It's a behind-the-scenes look at how the creative process transforms concept into reality and especially how words in a play are shaped into gripping stagecraft.
I read the novel first, then the play. I finished "The Horse's Mouth" before seeing the stage production. I'm glad I did. For me, "The Horse's Mouth" adds to the "War Horse" story, which becomes more compelling, more engrossing and simply better each time it's told.
Very early on in the creative process the bird in flight was the opening image of "War Horse," the stage version of Michael Morpurgo's novel of an English farm horse, Joey, shipped off to the Western Front during World War I. The bird symbolically christened the acting space and introduced the audience to the stage magic to follow.
The opening image is just one of many creative decisions the artistic team had to make during the long, complex process adapting Morpurgo's novel for the National Theatre's Olivier stage in London.
"The Horse's Mouth: Staging Morpurgo's War Horse," is an insider's look at that creative process. The book, one in a series of handbooks that explore National Theatre productions, is a fascinating story about the development of "War Horse," which has had audiences jumping to their feet since it opened in 2008.
This is a play about a horse, originally told through the eyes of the horse, Joey. It's a love story about the horse and a boy, Albert. It's a war story experienced dispassionately by the horse.
"War Horse" is a huge, sprawling production. Transferred from the page to stage, Joey is portrayed by a larger-than-life puppet operated by three puppeteers. Joey is one of several horse, human and animal puppets at the center of the story. The large cast also includes more than 30 actors playing various roles.
Most of the creative effort took place in three workshops held - before rehearsals ever began - for one week in 2005, two weeks in 2006 and three and a half weeks in 2007. "The Horse's Mouth" is the story of the workshops and how the play developed. A workshop contributor, author Mervyn Millar participated as a member of the South African Handspring Puppet Company, which collaborated on the production and designed and developed the extraordinary puppets.
The "War Horse" stage adaption began as a 13-page synopsis turned into a five-act play by English playwright Nick Stafford. How to bring a puppet of a horse to life, how to make it real for the audience and to have Joey respond to the people in the story represented the greatest creative test.
"Real horses don't move a great deal and don't usually make a lot of noise. Consequently the tools we have to create these relationships are limited - breath, tension, the occasional vocalized whicker or whinny, and well chosen use of tail and ears," said one of the workshop participants.
Then it began to appear as if that the puppeteers might have done too good of a job, been too creative.
"War Horse" is an extremely emotional story about a boy and his horse. It also is a war story about cruelty and destruction. Perhaps in its staging the play was becoming overly melodramatic, too overwrought.
The creative team worried that they didn't want to swerve too far toward an "extremely sentimental piece of theater." They worked to achieve the balance between making something very affecting to the audience "without necessarily making people cry at every moment." If audience reaction is the best test, they achieved their balance and became affecting in a truly extraordinary way.
There are many ways to experience War Horse:
* The novel by Michael Morpurgo
* The dramatization by Nick Stafford
* The play, which is still selling out on London's West End
* The play, which opens in April 2011 on Broadway in New York
* The movie, directed by Steven Spielberg, scheduled to open in the United States Dec. 28, 2011
Millar's account of the play's staging is yet another piece in the "War Horse" package. It's a behind-the-scenes look at how the creative process transforms concept into reality and especially how words in a play are shaped into gripping stagecraft.
I read the novel first, then the play. I finished "The Horse's Mouth" before seeing the stage production. I'm glad I did. For me, "The Horse's Mouth" adds to the "War Horse" story, which becomes more compelling, more engrossing and simply better each time it's told.
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
