War Horse Returns

Aug 24 2016 | By Thom Dibdin More

2018 dates at Festival Theatre

The National Theatre’s hit show War Horse is to return to Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre in 2018 for a three and a half week run.

The award winning adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s story of courage, loyalty and friendship, set against the backdrop of the First World War, will visit the theatre Wednesday 18 April to Saturday 12 May 2018.

Joey in War Horse. Photo Ellie Kurttz

The production begins a UK tour in September 2017 in Canterbury, before touring to Bristol, Liverpool, Oxford, Brighton, Bradford, Nottingham and then Edinburgh. Tickets will be on sale to Festival Theatre Friends from 29 August; Groups from 5 September and on General sale from 19 September 2016.

The play was first at the theatre in January 2014 when it sold out 31 performances, playing to over 55,000 people and it remains the highest grossing show in the theatre’s 20 year history.

The most successful play in the National Theatre’s history, it features ground-breaking puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings breathing, galloping horses to life on stage.

The return of War Horse continues a growing relationship for the Festival Theatre with NT. Its adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time returns for a short run, Mon 20 – Sat 25 Feb 2017. Then the National Theatre and Bristol Old Vic’s adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre will play Mon 15 – Sat 20 May 2017.

Duncan Hendry, Chief Executive of the Festival and King’s Theatres said: “We had the great honour of bringing War Horse to Scotland for the first time in January 2014 and we’re delighted to be bringing it back in 2018.

“Our relationship with the National Theatre has allowed us to offer our audiences exclusive opportunities to see these award-winning dramas and we look forward to bringing shows of the same outstanding quality as War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time to Scotland.”