With the final camera positions set in the auditorium, and demand high, Bristol Old Vic has today released the final theatre seats for its opening live-broadcast/in-person production Touching the Void.
Touching the Void went on sale last week with two options to watch: in-person at Bristol Old Vic or online, as a home-cinema style live-broadcast of the show, from anywhere in the world.
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.
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 has led the theatre to creating a bespoke sound-stage in its 255yr old auditorium which will not only create the atmosphere of being in a theatre, but transport viewers to the mountain itself -from anywhere in the world.
Speaking today, Tom Morris said: “We’ve used the last 12months to really explore the boundaries of digital theatre – everything from presenting recordings of past hit shows, digital studio-style experiments and live-broadcasts. The whole thing continues to be an amazing, seat-of-your-pants voyage of discovery, which our audiences in Bristol and globally have loved.
We’re now pushing this further with Touching the Void - taking the best parts of film and theatre and using the live-editing techniques from sporting and arena events to immerse home viewers in the world of not only the story, but their own uniquely atmospheric theatrical event.”
In-person audiences at Bristol Old Vic will experience something completely different to previous versions of the show – the action of the play being matched by the dynamic camera work will add an extra element excitement to an already nail-biting production. There will be no doubt you’re watching something completely new – whether in-theatre or at-home!
The production will be technically brought to life by Sound and Broadcast Designer, Simon Baker (Romantics Anonymous, The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk) and Director of Photography, Jamie Hobbis.
Simon Baker is Wise Children's Technical Director and Digital Producer. His previous sound design work includes A Christmas Carol (The Old Vic, London), Wise Children and Malory Towers for Wise Children and extensive work with Kneehigh including Tristan & Yseult, Brief Encounter, and The Red Shoes. Simon is also an Olivier Award-winner for Matilda The Musical.
Jamie Hobbis has worked in film and TV for over 25 years, with a focus on drama and documentary. His work has appeared extensively on Sky Arts, Channel 5, Channel Four and the Discovery Channel.
About joining the project, Jamie said: “The screen is my comfort zone and having enjoyed the film of Touching the Void, I wondered how on earth the story could be told on stage, I mean, there are mountains and folk have to climb them…For thousands of feet…How could this ever be convincing on a small stage?
Then I watched the stage show of Touching the Void and was completely blown away by the genius use of abstract and the captivating story telling technique. I never thought I’d hear the cinematographer in me say, ‘I enjoyed the stage version better than the film!’”
They are joining the production’s original creative team: director Tom Morris, writer David Greig, designer Ti Green, sound designer Jon Nicholls and lighting designer Chris Davey
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