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Real life stories lack the charm in seeking out the climax because you already know what happens to the characters in the end. Add to this, the challenge of creating an outdoors environment inside the limited stage of live theatre is literally like ‘climbing a mountain!’ Yet, Touching the Void has managed to surpass these limitations to create an experience that will have you at the edge of your seat.

The play is based on the book written by Joe Simpson about his summit experience of Suila Grande and his near-death experience while descending it. The script is written by David Grieg who has managed to bring alive the emotional turmoil faced by the mountaineers on the edge of an endless void. It has been made possible thanks to the incredible ingenuity of the set designer Ti Green and lighting by Chris Davey who recreated the atmosphere of the icy mountainside and the sheer vertical slopes on stage.

The music plays its part, composed by Jon Nicholls; it drives the drama and thrill as Simpson manoeuvres his way out of the mountain. The play has been directed by Tom Morris who is the creative director of the Bristol Old Vic and has been known for shows like ‘War Horse,’ ‘King Lear,’ and ‘The Grinning Man.’ Touching the Void is a theatrical experience like none other in recent times on West End and promises to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller you simply cannot miss!

The Story

Touching the Void is an incredible story of human persistence and survival. It is about Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, who in 1985, successfully aced the west face of Suila Grande in the Peruvian Andes. The pair was at a height of 19,000 feet and stuck in a snowstorm hampering their descent. It was just the two of them, waging a battle against the elements, with only a few mountaineering equipments at their disposal.

With time running and no water or food, the pair prevailed but their journey became tricky when Simpson hurt his leg and was unable to move forward. Both of them tied two long 150-feet ropes in order to lower Simpson down a cliff. But an accident with the ropes led to Simpson stranded at the bottom and Yates could not pull him back up. With frostbite a looming certainty and communication between them practically impossible, Yates took the decision of cutting the rope to save his own life.

In a miracle of sorts, Simpson managed to avoid the deep crevasse and landed on a small ledge. He looked at the cut rope and figured he would have to fend for himself as Yates must have given up on him. Watch the terrifying and thrilling ‘Touching the Void’ to find out how Simpson survives this treacherous terrain and comes out alive.