War Horse (The UK Tour)

In this centenary year of the end of World War One, I can not think of a more emotional and wonderful play to have seen.

I have been a fan of the writing of Michael Morpurgo since I was a child. War Horse is, of course, one of the books I have read and taken to heart. So, over the last decade, this show has been on my to-be-seen list and it was so exciting to tick this one of the off the list on Saturday.

You arrive at the theatre already very full of emotions – well I did. World War One evokes so many emotions (as any war does) that you know you need to be prepared for quite an experience in the theatre. As soon as the show starts, you are engrossed in what is unfolding on the stage. It is so simple and yet so powerful. The beautiful use of folk music sets the scene and stirs the emotions. The beautiful ‘puppets’ that are the horse (and goose) almost make you forget they are puppets as they bond with the characters on the stage.

The reality of the experiences of those men in 1914-18 are not glossed over, but handled with care. Nothing is hidden when it comes to the horror of war for the soldiers, animals and civilians but it is cleverly portrayed and it more thought-provoking than shocking.

Something that this story does, which I always like to make the students I teach think about, is emphasise that these men were doing what their country told themĀ  was right – on whichever side, the ordinary men were all victims of war.

By the end of this beautiful play I was quite a jumble of emotions, as you are fully invested in every single aspect of the story. The bond that Albert and Joey have is beautiful but also the support Joey and Topthorn gave others that they encountered is deeply moving. I may have shed some tears as I thought about all those people who had been touched by WWI and those of us who still are.

If you can catch this show, please do – every single member of this cast does the memory of World War One justice.

The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie

My reading habits have changed slightly since becoming a book blogger. Never before did I consider which month to read certain books, but now it seems to be one of the key considerations when deciding what to read. Therefore, I was really excited when it was revealed that this month’s ‘Maidens of Murder’ book was ‘The Pale Horse’, one I knew had a slightly spooky undercurrent.

Again, we were not taken on this adventure by Poirot or Miss Marple but Mark Easterbrook is our narrative provider. (Even the most recent ITV adaptation did add Miss Marple to the tale). A number of mysterious deaths have taken place, but when a priest is murdered after visiting one of the ‘victims’ it seems that there could be more to this than meets the eye. Mark Easterbrook becomes intrigued by this mystery, which seems to lead to a slightly strange public house called ‘The Pale Horse’. It appears that the ladies who inhabit it may have some connections to practicing the ‘dark arts’.

I really enjoyed this novel. If you read this little blog on a regular basis, you will know that I am an Agatha Christie fan but there are still a few novels that do not quite hit the spot, but this was not one of them. I just wanted to know what was happening next; there is a well-built-up tension – and the twist – well I did not spot that coming! (Although, as always, it seems so obvious when it is fully revealed).

So, October has got off to a suitably spooky start – A classic Christie!