After four months with its doors closed by the pandemic, Bristol Old Vic – one of the world’s greatest theatrical survival stories – is brought back to life with this epic tale of human endurance and friendship livestreaming from 26th – 29th May.
Due to a phenomenal response to the live-broadcast, Bristol Old Vic today announced an extension to the show’s run. You asked us to bring you the show on demand, so you can watch it at leisure, so that’s what we’ve done. From today, you can purchase it in advance and watch any day you like from 2nd – 8th June, by visiting www.bristololdvic.org.uk.
Directed by Tony Award-winning Tom Morris (War Horse) and based on Joe Simpson’s bestselling memoir turned BAFTA-winning film, David Greig’s thrilling adaptation charts this astonishing feat of human endurance. Life-affirming and often darkly funny, Touching the Void takes the audience on an epic adventure that asks how far you’d be willing to go to survive.
While theatre-goers are desperate to return to live theatre, Bristol Old Vic’s mission has been to create the same feeling for people watching at home as they would get from a night out at the theatre. This led to the ambitious project of creating a bespoke sound-stage in its 255-year-old auditorium which not only created the atmosphere of being in a theatre, but transported viewers to the mountain itself -from anywhere in the world.
Theatre’s across the UK, in USA and Canada are selling tickets to their audiences in a global partnership with venues including: Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse, The Lowry, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Birmingham Rep, Eden Court, Barn Theatre, Fuel, Horsecross Arts Perth, Aberdeen Performing Arts, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Sheffield Theatres, Royal & Derngate Northampton, Soulpepper Toronto and NYU Skirball.
Touching the Void’s world premiere opened Bristol Old Vic’s multimillion-pound redevelopment in 2018, and marked a new era for the theatre. The show went on to garner 5-star reviews, a West End run and UK tour as audiences were left reeling from this daring and imaginative tour-de-force.
From May, for one week only, Touching the Void returns for its next bold adventure in theatrical risk-taking, as Bristol Old Vic collaborates with original co-producing partners Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Royal & Derngate Northampton, Fuel and also Fiery Angel, who presented the West End run in association with Ambassador Theatre Group Productions.
Learning from the digital experiments of the last 12 months, Bristol Old Vic will bring together the intimacy of live performance with the technical power of digital theatre to create a binaural, multi-camera, and totally live story, allowing viewers at home to also experience the show from every heart-stopping angle, alongside the audience in the theatre.
Directed by Tony Award-winning Tom Morris (War Horse) and based on Joe Simpson’s bestselling memoir turned BAFTA-winning film, David Greig’s thrilling adaptation charts this breathtaking struggle for survival.
Perched on an unstable snow-cliff and battered by freezing winds, Simon is desperate to rescue his injured climbing partner who hangs from a rope below him. Meanwhile, Joe teeters on the brink of death and despair in a crevasse from which he can’t possibly climb to safety. Life-affirming and often darkly funny, Touching the Void takes the audience on an epic adventure that asks how far you’d be willing to go to survive.
The West End cast return for this limited one-week run in the theatre. Josh Williams returns to the role of Joe Simpson, alongside Angus Yellowlees as Simon, Patrick McNamee as Richard and Fiona Hampton as Sarah.
