The Works：Bristol Old Vic's "Touching the Void", Para Site's "Opera for Animals" & in the studio: Jo

We’re looking at two productions directed by Tony Award-winner Tom Morris. Staged by Bristol Old Vic, “Touching the Void” is the story of a 1985 attempt by Joe Simpson and Simon Yates to climb the 6,344-metre Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes that went badly wrong. The events are recounted in a book and a film of the same name, and now in the theatre.

Hong Kong’s Art March builds up to a grand finale as Art Central opens today and Art Basel opens to the public this Thursday. And there’ll be plenty of complementary events, exhibitions, auctions, and art and film festivals going on. We’ll bring you some of those exciting events in the coming few weeks. Today, we’re taking you to see a large-scale group exhibition at Para Site: “An Opera for Animals”. Curated by Cosmin Costinas, the exhibition highlights the relationship between histories and modernity, colonialism, classical opera, human beings and animals.

Based on Michael Morpurgo’s popular novel, and adapted by Nick Stafford, in 2007 “War Horse” premiered on stage. Morpurgo himself thought, in his own words, “they must be mad” even to try. The Olivier and Tony Award-winning production that’s appeared in the West End and on Broadway is directed by Marianne Elliot and Tom Morris. Against the backdrop of the First World War, it tells the story of a young boy called Albert and the close bond he has with his horse Joey. Among the play’s most commented-on elements is the puppetry of the life-size horse. And without further ado, here is Joey.