War Horse (1982) is the masterpiece of British author Michael Morpurgo. Targeting young readers, the novel is easy to understand but powerfully touching. I have seen the film adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg, but it was only afterwards that I learned about the British National Theatre’s play War Horse. In the much-acclaimed production, the horse appears in the form of a life-sized puppet, which is truly creative. Recently, I fulfilled my long-cherished wish and watched the drama when it was touring in Hong Kong.
If you want to appreciate the skills and techniques adopted in narrating the same story in different media – novel, film and play – War Horse is truly the perfect case to study. Take the scene when Albert tries to train Joey to plough the field as an example. In the novel, this part is rather plain and simple; but in the film, it is adapted into one of the crucial moments.
The bond between the two is forged with this scene. In the film, a heavy downpour softens the ground and facilitates the ploughing, which makes the sharp twist of plot more natural. It also builds up the emotion, and the audience will understand more easily why Albert would risk his life to rescue Joey later.
On the stage, such a complicated scene is difficult to recreate; therefore, the drama takes a different approach and changes the story: Albert bets his brother Arthur that Joey could pull the plough to the end of the furrow. The plot may be simpler, but with the incredible skills of the puppeteer and the melodic chorus, the stage effect comes off quite beautifully.
There are many other unforgettable scenes, such as when Albert’s father attempts to shoot Joey, and when Joey finally reunites with Albert…Enjoying the extraordinary story while observing all three productions in my head is a fascinating experience.
Writing history is a task that is both easy and difficult. It is easy because the creator already has historical facts as the basis of the story. Yet it is also quite challenging: with existing historical records, news reports and various artistic creations on the same historical event, how could one think outside the box, find a different perspective and dig out something new?
The success of War Horse is certainly not just because of its anti-war ideas, but because of its artistic creativity, most importantly. The author unexpectedly chooses the perspective of a horse. The story starts with a little boy trying to keep his promise to a horse; it then travels across the British, German, and French camps, and focuses on winners and losers, heroes and deserters. The good in humanity ultimately triumphs the evil, with people searching for hope in the most unlikely situations and bringing about peace among utter turmoil. The last scene of the play where German and British soldiers drop their weapons, get out of the trenches and rescue Joey, together left us smiling in tears, and also pausing to reflect on history.
Look back at the history a century ago, starting on 28 June, 1914 when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, and counting WWII which is the result of unresolved international disputes in WWI. The loss of life and property and the impact on human civilisation in this period is probably the greatest suffering in modern time.
Tragedies abound in the long course of human history. Still, generations and generations of unremitting art creators have left us with profoundly moving stories and valuable insights, hoping that we could learn the lessons and find hope. We must bear in mind that history is not far away from us, especially in an increasingly chaotic era. It is all the more important for us to take history as a mirror and learn from the past.
