Joey puppet from War Horse thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at Young V&A
Imagine Gallery, Adventure

Joey puppet from War Horse

Puppet
2009 (made)
Artist/Maker

War Horse, the National Theatre’s stage adaptation of the book by Michael Morpurgo, tells the story of the horses sold to the army for service in the First World War. Joey and other puppets share the stage with an ensemble of actors, a signature style of the Handspring Puppet Company who designed and created the puppets. This Joey, from the West End transfer of War Horse, has performed in over 1,640 shows and was retired from the production in March 2013.

Joey is brought to life onstage in War Horse by three puppeteers, known as the Head, the Heart and the Hind. They work together to create the emotions and character of a horse through breath, noise and movement. Using the Japanese Bunraku ‘exposed’ style of puppetry, they are costumed and visible to the audiences but make Joey the focus of attention.

War Horse is based on a book by Michael Morpurgo, adapted for stage by Nick Stafford, 2007. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris for the National Theatre (Olivier Theatre), London, then New London Theatre and tour.

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Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 8 parts.

  • Puppet
  • Puppet
  • Puppet
  • Puppet
  • Puppet
  • Puppet
  • Puppet
  • Puppet
TitleJoey puppet from War Horse (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Aluminium frame, cane, Jelutong, waxed twine, nylon suspension mesh, bungee cord, leather, Evazote, birch ply, bicycle brake levers, tyvec, foam, car seat-belts
Brief description
Life sized horse puppet (character name Joey) Designed by Adrian Kohler and Basil Jones of Handspring Puppet Company from the National Theatre production of War Horse, New London Theatre, 2009
Physical description
Life sized horse puppet (character name Joey) Designed by Adrian Kohler and Basil Jones of Handspring Puppet Company from the National Theatre production of War Horse, New London Theatre, 2009
Dimensions
  • Width: 4702mm (Note: Display footprint)
  • Depth: 3404mm (Note: Display foorprint)
  • Height: 2295mm (Note: Display foorprint)
Gallery label
  • War Horse Meet Joey, the horse. He was taken from his happy home in Devon to fight in a war. A lot of awful things happened to Joey and his friends, but in the end, he made it back home. Joey’s story was told in a book, a play, and a film, War Horse. This is the Joey puppet from the play. [Young V&A, Imagine Gallery long object label](2023)
  • Show horse Joey is a life-sized puppet. In the theatre, he was brought to life by three puppeteers, who made him jump and gallop across the stage. Some actors even rode him! [Young V&A, Imagine Gallery short object label](2023)
  • Real war horses About six million horses took part in the First World War. War Horse tells how the horror and chaos caused some horses like Joey to end up on both sides of the conflict. [Young V&A, Imagine Gallery short object label](2023)
Credit line
Given by Handspring Puppet Company
Literary references
  • War Horse
Summary
War Horse, the National Theatre’s stage adaptation of the book by Michael Morpurgo, tells the story of the horses sold to the army for service in the First World War. Joey and other puppets share the stage with an ensemble of actors, a signature style of the Handspring Puppet Company who designed and created the puppets. This Joey, from the West End transfer of War Horse, has performed in over 1,640 shows and was retired from the production in March 2013.

Joey is brought to life onstage in War Horse by three puppeteers, known as the Head, the Heart and the Hind. They work together to create the emotions and character of a horse through breath, noise and movement. Using the Japanese Bunraku ‘exposed’ style of puppetry, they are costumed and visible to the audiences but make Joey the focus of attention.

War Horse is based on a book by Michael Morpurgo, adapted for stage by Nick Stafford, 2007. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris for the National Theatre (Olivier Theatre), London, then New London Theatre and tour.
Collection
Accession number
S.3831:1 to 8-2013

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Record createdOctober 3, 2013
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