The National Theatre’s global smash-hit production of War Horse, the unforgettable theatrical event based on Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel, will be at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking from January 14 to 25.

War Horse, adapted by Nick Stafford and originally directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, has become the most successful play in the history of the National Theatre, winning more than 25 major awards and being seen by more than 8.3 million people worldwide. This all-new tour is co-produced with Michael Harrison, Fiery Angel and Playing Field.

It tells the remarkable story of a young boy called Albert and his horse Joey, set against the backdrop of the First World War.

This powerfully moving and imaginative drama is a show of phenomenal inventiveness, filled with stirring music and songs, featuring ground-breaking puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings breathing, galloping, charging horses to thrilling life on stage and has inspired a generation of theatre-makers since its premiere in 2007.

At the outbreak of the First World War, Joey, young Albert’s beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France.

He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary journey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land.

Albert, who remained on his parents’ Devon farm, cannot forget Joey. Though still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home.

Director Tom Morris said: “It is a huge privilege to be invited to revisit War Horse and to share this powerful story once more with audiences around the country.

“Michael Morpurgo’s brilliant idea, to explore the crushing violence of war through the experience of a horse, makes his story as powerful and resonant today as it has ever been.

“And in this time of increasing commercialism in theatre, it’s worth remembering that the production which carried War Horse to an international audience was a wild experiment, developed through workshops at the National Theatre Studio, the unique theatre laboratory where ground-breaking hits from Coram Boy and London Road to The Witches were devised.

“It has been an enormous thrill to return there in recent months to reunite Adrian Kohler’s magnificent puppets with designer Rae Smith, composer Adrian Sutton and other members of the original cast and creative team to start the process of bringing Joey back to the stage.”

This tour of War Horse marks 110 years since the start of the First World War and follows the 40th anniversary of the publication of Michael Morpurgo’s global best-selling novel, which has now sold more than 35 million copies worldwide in 37 languages.

War Horse received its world premiere on October 9, 2007 at the National Theatre, where it played for two seasons before opening at the New London Theatre in March 2009.

Since then War Horse has been seen in 97 cities in 14 countries, including productions on Broadway and in Toronto and Berlin, with touring productions in the United Kingdom and Ireland, North America, Holland and Belgium.

For more information visit WarHorseOnStage.com.

War Horse on tour is supported by Charles Stanley, the National Theatre’s touring partner.

To buy tickets for next month’s shows at the New Victoria Theatre visit www.ATGTICKETS.com/woking