International theatre phenomenon War Horse is going back out for a canter round the UK in the autumn, with northern dates so far announced including The Lowry in Salford (September 18-28) and Sunderland Empire (November 5-16).
Lowry tickets go on sale to members, groups and schools on February 19, and on general sale on February 23. Members at the Empire can book from February 26, with general sales from February 29.
The National Theatre hit production, based on Michael Morpurgo's World War One novel, was adapted by Nick Stafford and originally directed by one-time Manchester Royal Exchange associate director, Marianne Elliott, and is the most successful play in the history of the National Theatre – quiet apart from having won more than 25 major awards for its combination of actors and puppetry.
The show has been seen by over 8.3 million people around the world; it tells the remarkable story of a young boy called Albert and his horse Joey in the 1914-18 war, when when millions of horses were shipped to Europe to serve as transport and labour - and relatively few came back.
Author Michael Morpurgo said: “When Covid closed the show in 2020 in Australia, in the midst of its second world tour, many thought - and I was among them - that we’d never see War Horse on stage again. Now it’s really happening.”
Head of Theatres at The Lowry, Steve Cowton, said: “War Horse is a special show for us - in 2014 we were the first theatre outside London to present this brilliant production, and 10 years later we're delighted to be welcoming the show back, reinforcing the very special relationship between ourselves and The National Theatre."
Since opening at the National in 2007, the show has been seen in 97 cities in 14 countries, including productions on Broadway and in Toronto and Berlin, with touring productions in the UK and Ireland, North America, the Netherlands and Belgium.