Puppet horses Joey (left) and Topthorn pull military vehicles driven by German soldiers in a scene from stage play War Horse. Photo: Courtesy of the Chinese production of War Horse
Chinese adaptation of famous play brings original's anti-war message to life
The crew of the Chinese version of War Horse can finally sit back and breathe a sigh of relief after nearly two years of preparation. The show's debut at the National Theatre of China on Friday has received tons of praise from audiences - both ordinary theatergoers and theater professionals.
Making astonishing use of life-sized horse puppets, War Horse has conquered the globe with the incredible performances of its puppeteers. Looking at the response so far, the Chinese version is no exception.
Personally speaking, even several days after watching the play a number of scenes, including the neighing of horses, the sounds of gunfire and Albert's cry of "Joey," still linger in my head. The Chinese version of War Horse is an amazing show that you won't regret watching.
Stealing the show
The horse puppets in War Horse are no doubt the biggest highlight of the play, maybe even more so in China where puppeteering has a long standing tradition.
Adapted from Michael Morpurgo's 1982 children's novel of the same name, the show tells a story of the deep relationship that forms between a horse called Joey and his owner, a boy named Albert, how they are separated by war, and how they are united once again. However, while most plays take a human perspective, the story of War Horse is told through the eyes of Joey.
What made the novel special, the horse angle, probably seemed impossible to bring to the stage when the British National Theatre decided to adapt the story eight years ago. Fortunately, they ended up succeeding beyond expectation through the use of the play's superb puppet horses.
Even more fortunate for Chinese audiences, this success has been realized here in China as well. The months of training by the Chinese puppeteers (the real heroes behind the production in my opinion), who were called upon not only to act like horses, but also to think like horses, was not done in vain.
Growing from a tough little foal that plays with his owner Albert to a strong unruly horse that runs free around the farm and then is taken by the military to the front lines of the war, Joey is incredibly lifelike and audiences can hear the horse's every breath as well as see the smallest movements of its body, even the subtle shivering of its mane.
The team of puppeteers that control Joey are quite visible on stage and at first I paid a lot of attention to how they controlled the puppet and moved in harmony. But as the story progressed, Joey became more and more alive in my eyes and I gradually forgot that the animal running around the stage was actually a puppet and eventually I barely even noticed the puppeteers at all.
I'm confident many people who see this production will share my experience. I knew, objectively speaking, that Joey was just a puppet, but I still ended up leaving the theatre identifying with and falling in love with the character.
A child's tale for adults
While the stage is a visual feast boasting incredible puppetry and an immersive WWI battlefield with deafening gunfire, trenches, bloody bodies and barbed wire, the storyline, with its quirky twists and warmth, breathes even more life into the epic performance.
Staying faithful to the original stage play, the Chinese production of War Horse manages to grab audiences' hearts right from the start with an auction where that leaves Joey's fate uncertain. Thus the story unfolds, showing how a brave horse who understands human nature navigates the various challenges that fate throws at it, including a bloody war, to stay alive and eventually unite with his friend Albert.
The plot is so compact and intriguing that there's little time for audiences to catch their breath. At least for me, I was continually anxious and worried about what would happen to Joey next, knowing that what was waiting could only get worse.
Oddly enough, I didn't have this same feeling watching the film version of War Horse. Perhaps it was the way Joey was constantly in front of the audience, and I could hear every breath or sigh, and see his every movement. Joey feels just too alive to be ignored for even a second.
Most importantly, the show manages to touch the tenderest emotions in the human heart. After the show, many posted on Sina Weibo how they cried several times throughout the show. In fact, I was one of them.
Sure there are many shocking moments involving gunfire, barbed wire, injury and death, but the most touching ones were the more peaceful scenes, such as when Albert must say goodbye to Joey, who is being taken to front, or when a half-dead Joey stands up despite considerable pain on hearing Albert's familiar whistle.
Adapted from a children's book, the stage play uses the moments of warmth between humans and animals as ammunition against the cruelty and coldness of war, making it an anti-war lesson not only for children but also for adults.
Capturing such universal themes as love, friendship, family, bravery, persistence, faith and the desire for peace, though the story takes place in countries far from China, it manages to break through cultural barriers to resonate with Chinese audiences and dispel some people's worries that such a foreign story was not suitable for a Chinese adaptation.
The only negative I walked away with is that I feel several actors still need to get a better feel for their characters so they can better portray the feelings of their characters.
Considering that the show will be in Beijing until the end of October, and after that is expected to go on a five-year tour, the show's cast should have plenty of time to grow into their roles and make the play as great as the UK version.
