The photograph I chose from the Victoria and Albert Museum is called “Gas Money” depicting two people exchanging money. The play that this picture reminded me of was “War Horse” that we saw last night.
War Horse reflects themes of survival, sacrifice, and reliance on money. In the photograph there are two people making a transaction that is suggested to be for need, dependence, or survival. This photo represented the choices that people had to make throughout the play, especially Albert’s family, when it came to money and economic stability.
War Horse consistently showed throughout the play how hard times and war can turn lives, animals, and relationships into profit because of the need to survive. Joey was bought and sold multiple times throughout the play, all for profit. At the beginning Joey is bought by Ted at the auction even though they can’t afford him, creating financial strain and tension between him and his wife. Albert is told that when Joey grows up he will have to be sold. Ted bets Joey off to his brother in exchange for money but luckily Joey ends up winning the bet. Ted then later sells Joey to the army for a hefty sum of 100 pounds without even taking into consideration Albert’s relationship with Joey and the promise he made that Albert could keep him (basically Ted is the problem.) This shows how economic pressures influence a lot of the decisions in the play, especially with Ted, and how loved ones, like Joey, can turn into a profit. The exchange of money in the photograph symbolizes how war often reduces life to transactions because survival depends on it.
The photograph also represents inequality and power. One hand is above reaching downward to get the money while the other reaches upward to give the money. This image helps represent authority and dependence. In the play there were many characters trapped in circumstances beyond their control because of their status including poor farmers, soldiers, and townspeople. People were having to make hard decisions like joining the army, selling their animals, and being in positions of power that a lot of them were not ready to make. Horses like Joey were extremely useful and valued high in that time and made many people strip them of their humanity and only use them as tools.
The black and white muted style of the photograph also matched the colors on the stage because they were very muted browns, whites, blacks, and plain colors. The illustrations at the top were drawn with black and white ink which also matched the colors of the photograph.
Theatre in London U of A 