Adapting War Horse

This book analyses the success and adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s novel War Horse to stage, radio, live events, and feature film, in different cultures, on tours, and in translation. In under a decade, War Horse has gone from obscure children’s novel to arguably one of the world’s most recognisable theatrical brands, thanks to innovative puppet designs from South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company in an acclaimed stage production from the National Theatre of Great Britain. With emphasis on embodied spectatorship, collaborative meaning-making, and imaginative ‘play,’ this book generates fresh insights into the enduring popularity of the franchise’s eponymous protagonist, Joey, offering the most in-depth study of War Horse to date. 

TobyMalone is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Graduate Centre for Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies, and is currently a faculty memberat the University of Waterloo, Canada. Previous publications include Shakespeare Survey, Literature/Film Quarterly, CanadianTheatre Review, Borrowers and Lendersand The Routledge Companion toDramaturgy. Christopher J.Jackman is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Graduate Centre for Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies, and is an alumnus of Massey College,Canada. He is currently Chair of Arts and Design at Centennial College inToronto, has developed Centennial’s performing arts certificate programme, and remainsan active director and performer.