Touching the Void tickets from £15.00
Tickets from £15.00
About the show
The piece is based on the 1988 memoir of Joe Simpson, a mountain climber whose near-death experience was also documented in a BAFTA-winning documentary film. The stage adaptation had its world premiere in 2018 at Bristol Old Vic, marking 30 years since the publication of Simpson’s book. The Telegraph dubbed it “nail-biting” while the Guardian pronounced it a “thrilling, chilling drama”.
What do you do when death is imminent? Do you stop fighting and give in, or do you put your body through unimaginable pain and exertion in the grim hope there’s another way out? Climbing partners Joe Simpson and Simon Yates are tethered together, scaling the infamous Siula Grande mountain in the Peruvian Andes, when disaster strikes. The ground gives way and Simpson finds himself hanging above a treacherous drop. Yates is faced with an unthinkable decision: does he stay attached to Simpson and risk freezing to death, or does he cut the rope?
Tom Morris’ prior directorial credits include The Grinning Man, War Horse and Swallows & Amazons. The piece is adapted by David Grieg, who is Artistic Director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, and has previously worked on The Events, The Lorax, The Suppliant Women and more.
Design comes from Ti Green, sound designer and compositions from Jon Nicholls, lighting design from Chris Davey and movement direction from Sascha Milavic Davies.
Casting is yet to be announced.
How far would you go for survival? Go right to the brink and face up to impossible decisions when Touching The Void comes to Duke of York’s Theatre from 9 November.
Recommended for
Those who enjoyed Simpson’s book or the subsequent documentary film will want to sink their teeth into the stage adaptation of Touching The Void, which delivers the unbelievable story with electrifying clarity.Age Recommendations: Recommended 12+
Add to Wishlist to receive price alerts and deals.
Dates and times
Running time: 2 hours 25 mins (including 25-min interval)
Opened: 09 Nov 2019
Press night: 14 Nov 2019
Booking from: 28 Jan 2020
Booking until: 29 Feb 2020
Next available performances
Location and map
Duke of York's Theatre
St Martin's Lane
London, WC2N 4BG
72 Reviews Add review
Really clever staging, as a climber I was apprehensive about how they'd portray the climbing elements effectively. The actors and set... More
The was that they told the story was incredible and although I was terrified during the first act I was really enjoying it. It was... More
Almost as gripping as the book. Fantastic use of the vertical and horizontal space. Great story telling and explaining through narration... More
So well done. Incredible use of one simple climbing prop to simulate an entire mountain and glacier. Loved that much of the play actually... More
Much better than I was expected as I thought it would be a hard topic to translate to stage. The tension was kept up throughout, so... More
Genuinely tense show about a mountaineering accident, even though you probably know the outcome of the story already. Great to see... More
Show is really well done. Very stressful at points due to the nature of the show but incredibly gripping!
