The puppets that were central to the success of the West End hit play “War Horse” are now being pressed back into service at Bonhams – to help charity.Anyone who saw the larger-than-life figures will never forget them, and next month it will be possible to buy your own. The original puppets on offer on September 13 in London will come to the aid of the Handspring Trust non-profit group. No estimates have been revealed.The puppets include the protagonist Joey, who drove the emotional story to both tears and joy. Also to be auctioned are Topthorn, the Goose, and a pair of crows. This is the first time that a full set of the “War Horse” puppets will be offered.A total of eight sets of puppets were made, with three being preserved for future productions. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London was the first to acquire one of the puppets in 2013. The present group being auctioned is one of five remaining complete sets. It is signed and numbered 1/5 by Adrian Kohler, the Master Puppeteer of the Handspring company.“War Horse,” a dramatization of Michael Morpurgo’s novel of the same name, is the most successful show mounted by London's Royal National Theatre. It had an eight-year run in London, traveled to 11 countries, and was seen by more than seven million people. The novel, set in World War I, was also made into a more realistic film by Steven Spielberg. The story is about a farmer boy named Albert, whose horse is sold to the army and sent to fight on the French front.Each set of puppets took eight months to create, and is made out of cane, leather, aluminum, and book-binding materials.The Handspring Trust supports young people making new theater shows featuring puppets. Each December, their National Day of Reconciliation show and parade grows further. The charity evening in London is sponsored by the financial company Investec.The Bonhams sale will take place on September 13 in London.
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