“War Horse” Unique, Epic Story of Love and War
By Skip Sheffield
“War Horse” is unlike any other theatrical presentation this year or any other. This moving story of a boy and his horse continues through May 19 at Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale.
“War Horse” is almost like an extended dance, with amazingly intricate choreography intermixed with agile, athletic puppetry, interacting wordlessly with human actors. The story is based on Michael Morpurgo’s 1982 children’s story which was adapted to the stage by Nick Stafford and debuted in London in 2007. It also is the basis of Steven Spielberg’s award-winning 2011 live action film.
The story is much like the traditional, sentimental children’s tales “Black Beauty,” “National Velvet’ and “Lassie Come Home,” except in this case it is set in the ghastly time of World War I in Europe.
Spielberg used real horses in his epic movie. This stage play, based on choreography and movement by Toby Sedgwick, uses ingenious life-size puppets created by Handspring Puppet Company of South Africa.
We were seated right down front in the third row. On one hand that is good because we could really see the actors and their subtle expressions. On the other hand it is not so good to be so close because you can see the puppeteers inside the horse puppets manipulating the beautiful machines and creating the horse sounds with three human voices working on concert, revealing the illusion. There are a lot of explosions, bright lights, loud noises and gunpowder smells sitting so close, as the show recreates the horrors of being in the trenches in France, battling the German forces of the Kaiser.
The story begins in 1912 with the birth of a beautiful horse witnessed by a 14-year-old boy named Albert Narracott (Alex Morf). The production has incidental music throughout reminiscent of the period. Particularly appealing is the recurring them “All Be Remembered for What We Have Done.”
When the colt comes up for sale two years later, a bidding war occurs between the brothers Arthur Narracott (Brian Keane) and Ted Narracott (Todd Cerveris). There is an intense rivalry and some bitterness between the brothers. Arthur boasts of his battle experiences in the Boer War, though it was Ted who was the real hero, wounded in action and left lame. Ted uses alcohol to ease his pain. Sometimes it gets the best of him, as it does when he recklessly wins the bid at 39 guineas- an enormous sum at the time.
Albert literally falls in love with his horse, which he names Joey. When Great Britain is forced into the war against Germany, Ted agrees to sell Joey to an army officer (Jason Loughlin) for 100 pounds. At 16 Joey is too young to enlist. Eventually he will, only to witness firsthand the horrors and sorrow of hand-to-hand combat.
Alex Morf is a very emotive actor who bears a striking resemblance to a young Ronnie Howard. “War Horse” is also a story of repeated loss of Albert’s best friends and comrades. If it weren’t for its upbeat cliff-hanger resolution, it would be almost unbearable. Instead it is inspirational and a marvel of a very large group of talented people working together in perfect concert.
Tickets are $39.50-$89.50 ($119.50 Club Section. Call 954-462-0222 or go to www.browardcenter.org.
Chameleon Musicians Finale May 12 at Leiser Center
Chameleon Musicians winds up its season at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 12 at LeiserCenter, 221 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale. The program features the work of Tchaikovsky, Schubert and Elfrida Andree. Tickets are $35 ($15 students). Call 954-761-3435.
Community Cabaret at Willow Theatre
Another Community Cabaret variety show will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 15 at the Willow Theatre of Sugar Sand Park, 300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton. Tickets are just $5 and may be reserved by calling 561-347-3900.
“Delray Beach Families” at Spady Museum
SpadyMuseum, 170 NW Fifth Ave., Delray Beach, presents the original exhibit “The Legacies of Delray Beach Families,” opening Wednesday, May 15 and running through August. An opening reception is 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 17.
The exhibit features vintage and contemporary pioneering families the Edmonds, the Mitchells, the Spells and the Quinces. Each is a pillar of the African-American community.
Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and Saturday by appointment. Admission is $5. Call 561-279-8883 or go to www.spadymuseum.org.
Fierce Dance Company in Boca Raton
Boca Raton has a new dance studio called Fierce Dance Company, 51 Glades Road.
At a recent grand opening and open house owner LeeAnn Pastore conducted tours and she and the staff met parents and prospective students. Vice Mayor Susan Haynie helped cut the opening ribbon.
Fierce is a huge (7,500 square-foot) facility, and it has already yielded results from fierce dance competition.
From April 27-29 competition at Coral Springs Performing Arts Center Kelly Bagwell received an Elite Gold award for solo and another Elite Gold for Duet with Melissa Cervantes.
The Junior 1 group achieved the highest score in the jazz category and Judges Awards High Gold and Gold, which makes them eligible for the Nationals in Orlando in June.
For more information, call 561-338-7778 or go to www.fiercedanceco.com.
