‘It’s lovely to see you again,’ Queen tells mechanical War Horse star
THE Queen was left praising one of the stars of the West End as she celebrated the National Theatre’s 50th anniversary yesterday – a prancing horse from the acclaimed production of War Horse.
The monarch has seen the smash-hit show, based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo, which tells the moving story of Joey, a farm horse who serves in the First World War.
And during the Diamond Jubilee River Thames pageant last summer, the Queen appeared to enjoy watching the mechanical animal running across the roof of the National Theatre, which first staged the play, as her royal barge sailed past.
As her tour of the theatre company based on London’s South Bank ended yesterday, she told the horse, operated by Gareth Aled, Darren Cockrill and Sam Wylott: “It’s lovely to see you again.”
Puppeteer Mr Aled said after meeting the Queen – who attended War Horse in 2009 – and the Duke of Edinburgh that Joey had also travelled to Windsor Castle to visit the monarch.
He added: “She’s familiar with horses and with Joey, it’s a very lovely privilege to have had that meeting.
“She knows horses probably better than we do.”
Joey walked up to the Queen yesterday and followed her as she walked to her waiting state limousine, before rearing up on his hind legs as the car departed.
Mr Aled added: “It’s all about striving for realistic horse movement, every horse movement should feel life-like.”
The National Theatre opened its doors in 1963 with the Hollywood star Sir Laurence Olivier as its first director and over the decades has staged 800 productions.