For most horses a normal day constitutes being groomed, eating hay and galloping across fields. But not for Joey. The equine star of War Horse has a far more extravagant life as he proved earlier this month when he spent a week travelling the globe.
His first stop was Germany, where he attended the launch of the German language production set to open at Berlin’s Stage Theater des Westens in October. Not one to turn down a spot of sightseeing, Joey – accompanied by the production’s co-stars Philipp Lind and Heinz Hoenig – took a trip to one of the country’s ‘mane’ attractions Brandenburg Gate.
Soon after, the life-sized puppet jetted off to Sydney, where the Australian production of War Horse plays until the end of June before transferring to Brisbane’s Lyric theatre. Rhode – or should that be Rode – Island was his next destination, where he met two mounted horses at the opening of Providence Performing Arts Center, a venue that will host the show’s current US tour.
Finding his hooves once again on home soil, Joey joined HRH The Princess Royal at the official re-opening of The Horse’s Trust’s Home Of Rest For Horses in Buckinghamshire before heading north to Edinburgh Castle to celebrate the UK tour’s upcoming performances at the Fringe Festival.
Finally, after a hard week’s work, Joey returned to his stable life at the New London theatre where he had the pleasure of performing in front of an audience including Take That’s Gary Barlow.