Theatre Book Club: War Horse

Sat 4 Oct 2025

Venue: Festival Theatre

Do you love reading and going to the theatre?

Do you want to dig in deep to the original story before seeing its adaptation? This collaborative book club from Blackwell’s and Capital Theatres is just the thing to take you from page to stage and ignite some fascinating conversations.

In October we’re discussing Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel War Horse before embarking on a theatrical journey like no other.

At the outbreak of World War One, 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 Joey and bring him home.

Details

Prices

£3

Price may show as £3.53 initially but will discount at checkout

Running time

1.15pm
Book Club discussion at Blackwell’s

2.30pm
Matinee performance of War Horse

5.20pm
Post-show discussion in Festival Theatre Cafe

Accessibility information

Blackwell’s bookshop has level access and the book club discussion is seated. If you have any questions about the bookshop’s accessibility, please do get in touch with the Blackwell’s events team on 0131 622 8222 or matthew.land@waterstones.com

The Festival Theatre also has level access from the street. If you have any specific Access enquiries about the theatre then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

More information about access at Capital Theatres

"I think it's a great idea to explore the book, it adds an extra dimension to the experience of theatre and build the anticipation"
Previous Book Club participant

On this page, add your Book Club ticket to your basket and make sure to book your ticket to War Horse on Sat 4 Oct at 2.30pm.

If you have both tickets in the same basket you get 15% off your show ticket.*

*Terms and conditions apply. Both tickets must be in the same basket and to the same quantity for the discount to apply. All discounts are subject to availability and cannot be used retrospectively.

If you’ve already booked your show ticket, you can still get your Book Club ticket separately and come along to the discussion at Blackwell’s, even if you’re going to a different performance.

We start with a discussion on Level 1 of Blackwell’s South Bridge to discuss the book, get refreshed on the characters and story and share perspectives with other readers.

Facilitators from Blackwell’s and Capital Theatres will make sure you get over to the Festival Theatre with plenty of time to get settled – pick up tickets, find your seats, pick up a programme or a drink. The bookshop and the theatre are just across the road from each other so the walk just takes a few minutes.

After enjoying the show we can meet up again in the Festival Theatre Cafe for a debrief discussion to see how you enjoyed it, things you noticed from the adaptation, how things changed.

It is a discussion about the book so it helps to be familiar with it, but you don’t always have to have read it immediately before. Some people come along who have read it some (or many!) years ago. Sometimes people have only seen screen adaptations but really love the story, so we can weave those into the conversation too.

The book club is a welcoming and casual space. The conversation will be guided by Matthew (or sometimes a special guest) from Blackwell’s to explore how the group feels about the story, characters and themes of the book. Everyone is welcome to share their thoughts from reading the book and then we see where the conversation takes us.