Simon Yates recently visited South Africa to give various groups lectures. He was universally well-received both by the climbing fraternity and by the public. He tells his story - which is full of dramatic incident and achievement - very succinctly and humourously. I would certainly go out of my way to hear him speak again!
- Greg Moseley - President - Mountain Club of South Africa
Speakers are touring the following shows in the Autumn 08 (please click for dates):
One of Britain’s most successful mountaineers, Ian Parnell has many first ascents to his name, most notably Arwa Spire in India and a 15 day winter ascent of the Lafaille route on the Dru, a 1000m granite spire in the Alps, as well as reaching the summit of Everest in 2005. A mountain photographer as well as a climber, Ian has provided the world with live footage of Sir Ranulph Fiennes vertical expeditions since the explorer’s first attempt at climbing Everest in 2005.
Among the world’s greatest high altitude guides, Kenton Cool is the only Briton to have reached the summit of Everest 5 times, and the only climber in the world who has summitted Everest twice in the same week! With an impressive climbing portfolio, Kenton has climbed extensively in the Himalaya and the Alps, as well as making some notable first ascents in Alaska and Greenland and has just returned from leading Sir Ranulph on his second attempt at Everest.
In ‘Vertigo’, Ian will talk about his mountaineering experiences, and the extreme challenge of climbing some of the most treacherous peaks in the world with a camera in your hand! Kenton will follow on to discuss his intense relationship with Everest and the harsh conditions of high altitude climbing, discussing his recent expedition with Sir Ranulph who was forced to abandon his bid to reach the summit in May just 300 metres from the top.
A unique opportunity to hear the awe-inspiring tales of two men who push human endurance to the limit as part of their daily lives.
Vertigo is roughly 2 hours in length, including a 20 minute interval.
Click on venue to be taken to their site
This autumn, internationally acclaimed mountaineer Andy Kirkpatrick will be returning to UK theatres with a new show ‘When Hell Freezes Over’.
Following his successful tour in 2007 with his show ‘Psychovertical’, Andy will be taking to the road again this autumn. One of the UK’s most accomplished mountaineers and big-wall climbers Andy is a hugely popular speaker on and off the climbing circuit. With his first book due to be published by Random House this Autumn, Andy is definitely a rising star, and has developed his own niche as the only mountaineer with stand-up talents to rival the top comedy acts in the UK.
Andy is well known amongst mountaineers for his strange penchant for climbing in extreme conditions in some of the harshest places on the planet. His new show will focus on his winter expeditions to Patagonia, a treacherous mountain range at the southern most portion of South America, including his recent attempt to climb Torre Egger in 2007. Andy’s show gives a real taste of what it’s like to go on a major expedition, with tales of being trapped on mile high summits in hurricane winds, buried by avalanches, and pushed close to hypothermia whilst lashed to the side of a mountain. A 100 mile-an-hour ride through Andy’s white-knuckle experiences of the last 15 years.
Please note the show contains strong language.
“My son and I came to see your talk in High Wycombe last night. I can honestly say it was the best evening's entertainment I've had in years - thanks very much! Inspiring and incredibly funny - I can't remember when I last laughed so much. And my teenage son, who generally finds everything incredibly tedious these days, was also in fits of laughter for the whole evening!”
“You have a natural self effacing style which gives you an immediate rapport with your audience.”
“You're clearly insane but in the best possible way (which is that - you're most definitely not). I was also blown away by your photography. They were incredible shots and really provided a sense of scale and underlined the bonkers things you've done, no matter how much you tried to underplay them!”
“Fantastic, didn't stop laughing. My non-climbing girlfriend thought it was excellent too. If you get the chance – go!”
When Hell Freezes over is roughly 2 hours in length, including a 20 minute interval.
Click on venue to be taken to their site
* This date will be billed as 'An Evening with Andy Kirkpatrick and Andy Cave' - Andy will be performing a shorter version of his full length show during his half.
Forever known as ‘the man who cut Joe Simpson’s rope’ Simon Yates’ career as one of the UK’s best climbers has had it’s fair share of ups and downs, and his one man show ‘Beyond the Void’ takes the audience on a roller coaster ride through his many adventures.
Starting in the quarries and railway sidings of Leicestershire, Simon soon progresses on to the rock outcrops of Sheffield, and then onto the higher peaks and faces of the Alps. It’s here that Simon forms a partnership with a climber who’s fate will become inextricably linked with Simon’s own, the legendary Joe Simpson. Simon details his first climb with Joe, a climb that would set the tone for the rest of their climbs together, with disaster snapping at their heels all the way up Mont Blanc.
This leads to their fateful climb on Siula Grande, and subsequent accident now immortalized in the book and film ‘Touching the Void’. Beyond the Void takes the audience beyond this most traumatic of climbs, showing how Simon moved on and up to climb some of the hardest and most adventurous climbs on the planet.
These climbs range from the storm lashed summits of Tierra Del Fuego and Paine, to the Himalayan giants and the Arctic summits of Alaska, each expedition taking Simon further from Siula Grande and defining him as more than just ‘the climber who cut the rope’.
“I just wanted to show my appreciation for Simon Yates' talk the other night...I am a mountaineer myself, and took my Dad for his birthday, an accomplished armchair mountaineer himself, and we both thoroughly enjoyed the talk. I thought Simon spoke with a real humour and passion for the mountains and the situations they can put you in.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed hearing Simon Yates last night.”
“Recently went to the Simon Yates - Beyond the Void at Dorking, which was excellent.”
“Brilliant”
Beyond the Void is roughly 2 hours in length, including a 20 minute interval.
Click on venue to be taken to their site
*There will be a matinee and evening performance at this venue.
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