KS2 KS3 KS4

War Horse - education resource

Directing Drama Performance skills Production Arts

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Overview

Discover more about all aspects of our production of War Horse using these learning resource packs.

The first resource is designed for students who are watching the production as a stimulus for their own devising or scripted work, others who may be writing evaluative answers in GCSE and A Level examinations, and those who might like to explore puppetry and other design elements such as music, sound, lighting, set and costume design.

The second PDF was created to accompany our tour of War Horse in 2011. It’s designed to support students’ understanding of the process of adapting a novel and includes a synopsis, interviews with members of the creative team and performers, articles about the historical context of the production, and detailed schemes of work for Year 6 literacy and key stage 3 English.

Learning outcomes

This education resource is intended to support students, teachers and young theatremakers in their engagement with War Horse.

Production information

Olivier Theatre, 2007 & 2008, West End 2009, Broadway 2011, US tour 2012, UK tour 2025

War Horse (2007), based on a novel by Michael Morpurgo; adapted by Nick Stafford; in association with Handspring Puppet Company; directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris; design and drawings by Rae Smith; puppet design and fabrication by Basil Jones, Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company; lighting design by Paule Constable; director of movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick; puppetry direction by Basil Jones & Adrian Kohler; video design by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer for Fifty-Nine Productions Ltd; music by Adrian Sutton; songmaker John Tams; sound design by Christopher Shutt.

War Horse (2024), a co-production with Michael Harrison, Fiery Angel, and Playing Field, revival director Katie Henry.

Photo © Brinkhoff/Mögenburg

Suitability

Suitable for 10+/KS2+

Content warning

References to war and death

Keywords

War Horse, Michael Morpurgo, Nick Stafford, Marianne Elliott, Handspring Puppet Company, World War 1, puppetry, music, sound, lighting, set, costume design