News

British export War Horse scooped five Tony Awards in last night’s prestigious ceremony held at Broadway’s Lincoln Theater. The prizes included Best Play, Best Scenic Design of a play, Best Lighting Design of a play, Best Sound Design of a play and Best Direction of a play – making the poignant wartime drama the second biggest winner on the night behind The Book of Mormon (Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s hilarious new musical which picked up an incredible nine honours). 

A Unique Theatre Experience

War Horse began life as a children’s novel by Michael Morpurgo, who was inspired after a chance conversation with an old soldier from the Great War in a rural English pub. The veteran had served near the front and found comfort from the close bond he had developed with the cavalry animals. Inspired to do some further research, Morpurgo got in touch with the Imperial War Museum and learned that only 65,000 horses ever came back from the front out of over a million that were sent overseas to help the war effort  - a shocking statistic that had received little recognition with so many human casualties.

Mark Rylance Wins Best Actor Again!

Mark Rylance won Best Actor for a second time, picking up the top performing honour for his role as the eccentric Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron in Jez Butterworth’s acclaimed comedy-drama Jerusalem. Rylance, 51, won the same award in 2008 after starring in a revival of sixties airline farce Boeing-Boeing and made a memorable acceptance speech by quoting a little-known American poet Louis Jenkins. He accepted this year’s award with another verse by Jenkins - Walking through a Wall, which begins: “Unlike flying or astral projection, walking through walls is a totally earth-related craft, but a lot more interesting than pot making or driftwood lamps” (but, unless you're a brilliant actor, probably isn't recommended in practice!)