The Distance

A play about the world of elite sports, combining text and extreme physical workout: a sweat-drenched exploration of ambition, identity and letting go. Premiered at the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. '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, winning a Fringe First Award.