'I think, what if I try? What if I really try?' Chris takes up cross-country running when the school football pitch freezes over, and something in him is ignited. He enters a world of elite sport – a world where everything is measured: every meal, every metre, every moment. What happens when you push yourself as far as you can… and then further? The Distance is a show that combines text and extreme physical workout, a sweat-drenched exploration of ambition, identity and letting go. Ben Norris's play premiered at Summerhall during the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, directed by Julia Locascio and produced by Global Creative, Grace Dickson Productions and Nic Doodson Productions.
"'Sheer exhilaration... a theatrical masterclass... one of the most visually exciting solo shows I have ever watched... Norris' script is marvellous... totally captivating... never preachy, the story is one of both trauma and hope... captures the adrenaline-fuelled emotion of sport'"
All That Dazzles
"'Thrillingly fast-paced... sure to get your pulse racing... a perfectly formed example of how to do a one-man show... it is told with supremely engaging good humour, and the writing is well-sprung and expertly paced, with heart-in-mouth descriptions of races and a real gut-punch when the inevitable injury strikes'"
The Times
"'Thrilling... a superb solo show... few plays capture the euphoria and despair of sport as well as this'"
