UK’s ‘funniest climber’ tours new Psychovertical theatre show

Author, stuntman and UK’s only ‘stand-up’ climber, Andy Kirkpatrick, is back on UK stages

Award-winning, best-selling author and mountain-climbing comedian Andy Kirkpatrick returns to UK stages with his sixth ‘audience with…’ style lecture show, Psychovertical: A Higher Education, touring to theatres across the UK, presented by adventure-based speakers specialists, Speakers from the Edge in association with Montane.

“The Ranulph Fiennes of British Climbing”

-THE TODAY PROGRAMME, BBC R4

A unique story teller and comedian, Andy climbs in some of the most inhospitable places on earth, from Greenland to Alaska, Patagonia to Antarctica. A natural performer as the UK’s only ‘stand-up mountaineer’, Andy is one of Britain’s most prolific - and funniest - climbers, with a desire for climbing in extreme conditions.

“Gut-wrenching, entertaining and challenging – appeals to the adventurer in all of us”

-THE GUARDIAN

In Psychovertical: A Higher Education, Andy revisits the concept of his first theatre tour, Psychovertical (2007), looking back with over a decade’s more experience and the benefit of hindsight. This new show also coincides with the recent release of the Psycho Vertical BANFF award-winning film and the forthcoming book, A Higher Education. As with all of Andy’s shows, Psychovertical: A Higher Education is a mash up of thoughts and experiences, good times and bad, laughter and maybe tears, but certainly out of this world.

Andy courted controversy in 2012 by taking his 13-year-old daughter to become the youngest girl to summit Yosemite’s vertical 3000ft El Capitan, filmed for Children’s BBC’s My Life series.

“…a strange penchant for the long, the cold and the difficult…”

-CLIMBING MAGAZINE

Andy’s new theatre show, set to tour 27 venues across the UK, blends narrative with audio-visuals to give audiences a taste of the realities of venturing on major expeditions. 

“Entertaining, funny and a bit mental”

- ZOO MAGAZINE

Andy is a hugely popular and accomplished story-teller, as comfortable on stage as he is lashed to an ice-clad mountain in a 100mph storm. A Montane-sponsored athlete, Andy has previously funded his bizarrely dangerous expeditions by working as a Film & TV Stunt Safety Adviser, most notably with Johnny Depp in Tim Burton’s remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and for the BBC’s Dalziel & Pascoe. Andy has also enjoyed the success of his books, most notably Psychovertical and Cold Wars, both of which won the Boardman Tasker Prize.

Psychovertical: A Higher Education is touring UK theatres in winter/spring 2018. To book tickets, or for further details, visit www.speakersfromtheedge.com

Ends

Editors notes

Andy Kirkpatrick – The son of an RAF PT instructor, Andy was born in 1971, growing up (ironically) in the flat wastelands of Hull. Andy found his first outlets for adventure exploring the cities crumbling blocks of flats and dangerous docks. Day trips to the Peak District with his father introduced him to climbing and sowed the seeds of ambition which would lead him to some of the most treacherous peaks in the world.

Andy is one of the UK’s most accomplished mountaineers and a world renowned expert on mountaineering gear. 

He is sponsored by leading outdoor brands Patagonia and Lyon Equipment. You can keep up to date on Andy’s latest projects by visiting his website at www.andy-kirkpatrick.com

Andy specialises in climbing big-walls, usually in winter and has climbed Yosemite’s El Capitan more than ten times, including a 12 day solo ascent of the mighty Reticent Wall. He has also made a 15-day winter ascent of the Lafaille Route on the Petit Dru, a 1000m pillar in the Alps considered to be one of the most difficult climbs in Europe. His other accomplishments include a first winter ascent of the east face if Mermoz in Patagonia, Argentina, two record breaking expeditions with paraplegic adventurer Karen Darke (including a 29 day crossing of the Greenland ice cap and a successful ascent of El Capitan) and most recently the first attempt at a winter ascent of Torre Egger in Patagonia

Andy funds his expeditions through his work as a stunt safety advisor for film and television, most notably working on Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the BBC’s Dalziel and Pascoe. 

Andy is an internationally renowned speaker and gives talks all over the world about his experiences, headlining the Banff Mountain Film Festival in 2006

Based in Scotland and Sheffield, Andy has climbed extensively in Patagonia, Alaska and the Americas. In 2002, Andy made the first winter ascent of Mermoz in Patagonia, as well as soloing El Capitan’s mighty Reticent Wall, one of the hardest routes of its kind anywhere in the world. In 2003 he made a 15-day winter ascent of the Lafaille route on the Petit Dru, a 1000-metre pillar in the Alps, considered one of the most difficult climbs in Europe and in 2007, Andy returned to Patagonia to attempt the first winter ascent of Torre Egger, an expedition which was the subject of Alistair Lee’s multi-award winning film ‘Patagonian Winter’

Andy is also a freelance writer, photographer and graphic designer. His first book, Psychovertical, was published by Random House in September 2008 and 2011’s Cold Wars won the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature. Andy has 2 children and lives in Inverness

Speakers from the Edge represent the finest motivational speakers from the world of adventure, exploration and endurance, who have, quite literally, pushed themselves to the edge. Our speakers comprise explorers, mountaineers, adventurers and extreme athletes, each of whom are driven, focused and motivated. They take on some of the most treacherous of journeys and challenges the planet has to offer. In short, they are precisely the kind of people to inspire others to achieve great things. Our speakers have been individually hand-picked for their unique achievements, and their ability to engage and inspire any audience. Each has extensive experience in presenting to the public and private sector; from multi-national companies, organisations, and trade associations, to schools, sporting, community and voluntary groups.

TOUR SCHEDULE /

FEBRUARY ‘18

Fri 2 - POOLE Lighthouse / 01202 280000 / lighthousepoole.co.uk

Tues 6 - MILTON KEYNES ChrysalisMK / 01908 235505 / chrysalismk.co.uk

Wed 7 - ANDOVER The Lights / 01264 368368 / thelights.org.uk

Thurs 8 - EXETER / Northcott Theatre / 01392 726363 / exeternorthcott.co.uk

Fri 9 - FALMOUTH Princess Pavilion / 01326 211222 / bettervenues.org.uk

Sat 10 - ABERYSTWYTH Arts Centre / 01970 623232 / aberystwythartscentre.co.uk

Sun 11 - CAERNARFON Galeri Theatr / 01286 685250 / galericaernarfon.com

Mon 12 - BRECON Theatr Brycheiniog / 01874 611622 / brycheiniog.co.uk

Tues 13 - MALVERN Malvern Theatres / 01684 892277 / malvern-theatres.co.uk

Wed 14 - CHESTER Storyhouse / 01244 409113 / storyhouse.com

Sun 18 - LINCOLN New Theatre Royal / 01522 519999 / newtheatreroyallincoln.co.uk

Mon 19 - GATESHEAD Sage / 0191 443 4661 / sagegateshead.com

Wed 21 - LEEDS The Carriageworks / 0113 376 0318 / carriageworkstheatre.co.uk

Sat 24 - DERBY Guildhall / 01332 255800 / derbylive.co.uk

MARCH ‘18

Fri 2 - JERSEY Opera House / 01534 511115 / jerseyoperahouse.co.uk

Sun 4 - CHESTERFIELD The Winding Wheel / 01246 345222 / chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk

Mon 5 - PENRITH Rheged Centre / 01768 868000 / rheged.com

Wed 7 - OBAN Corran Halls / 01546 605522 / argyll-bute.gov.uk

Thurs 8 - GLASGOW Drygate / drygate.com

Sat 10 - ABERDEEN Lemon Tree / 01224 641122 / aberdeenperformingarts.com

Sun 11 - INVERNESS Eden Court / 01463 234234 / eden-court.co.uk

Mon 12 - SALFORD The Lowry / 08432 086000 / thelowry.com

Tues 13 - LANCASTER Dukes Theatre / 01524 598500 / dukes-lancaster.org

Wed 14 - RADLETT Radlett Centre / 01923 859291 / radlettcentre.co.uk

Thurs 15 - HORSHAM The Capitol / 01403 750220 / thecapitolhorsham.com

Fri 16 - CHELMSFORD Civic Theatre / 01245 606505 / chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres

Tues 20 - CHELTENHAM Town Hall / 08445 762210 / cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk