Video: WAR HORSE Team at National Theatre Reveals How Puppet Joey Comes to Life
Puppet designers and movement specialists explain the craft behind the show's central character.
WAR HORSE, The National Theatre's long-running stage adaptation, is the subject of a new video titled 'Finding Joey,' posted by the theatre's YouTube channel. The featurette gathers members of the creative team to explain how Joey, the show's life-sized horse puppet, was designed and brought to movement on stage.
The production is based on Michael Morpurgo's novel of the same name, following young Albert's search for his beloved horse Joey after the animal is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France during the First World War. The video credits puppet design and fabrication to Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, with Toby Sedgwick serving as director of movement and horse choreography, Matthew Forbes as puppetry director, Lewis Howard as associate puppetry director, and Rae Smith handling set and costume design.
WAR HORSE has returned to the Olivier Theatre at The National Theatre on London's South Bank, running from May 16 through July 30, 2026, following a sell-out national tour. The engagement marks the production's return to the venue where it debuted nearly two decades ago, and The National Theatre has billed this run as the last chance to see it there. The show carries an age recommendation of 10 and up, with loud sound effects, flashing lights, haze, and strobe lighting used throughout.
The video focuses specifically on the puppetry craft, offering audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the mechanics and choreography that allow Joey to move convincingly on stage, a key element that has helped drive the production's international success across more than 100 cities.
