The hugely popular Shakespearean troupe are back with another bicycle-powered tour to outdoor venues and open-air theatres across the UK this summer. From Bude to Bolton, Inverness to the Isle of Wight, The HandleBards are to reprise their hit production of Shakespeare’s classic comedy Twelfth Night with drunkenness, frivolity and cross-dressing aplenty.
Committed to providing environmentally-friendly entertainment across the country, The HandleBards will be travelling over 1500 miles by bicycle with set, props and costumes following in their 100% electric support vehicle (plus a brief diversion - by train - to Germany’s hugely popular Shakespeare Festival).
Artistic Director Tom Dixon said “I’m thrilled to be launching our biggest ever UK tour which will play more than 100 dates across the summer months. If you’re in need of a good laugh and want an excuse to bring your loved ones together, our irreverent take on Shakespeare’s classic comedy will provide just that. So what are you waiting for? Book your tickets, pack your picnic and cross your fingers for some Great British sunshine!”
The HandleBards began with a sense of adventure, a love of Shakespeare and a nifty little pun. Since four fearless friends pedalled Twelfth Night to twenty UK venues in 2013, the company has grown to become an internationally renowned theatre company, bringing a charmingly chaotic brand of Shakespeare to audiences all over the globe. The HandleBards travel by bike because they care about the planet and want to promote sustainability and healthy living. They have won the Edinburgh Fringe Sustainable Practice Award, were nominated for The Stage’s inaugural Sustainability Award and have cycled over 12,000 miles to date.
James Farrell is a freelance theatre director who has worked on the West-End, at the Chichester Festival Theatre and at the Royal Shakespeare Company. James also facilitates educational workshops and activities. James is the Artistic Director of Nameless Theatre and an Associate Practitioner at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Running Time: 100 minutes | Suitable for ages 8+
Company Information
Directed by James Farrell
Written by William Shakespeare
Associate Direction by Mark Collier
Music Direction and Composition by Guy Hughes
Designed by Connie Watson
Produced by Tom Dixon and Paul Moss
Cast
Roisin Brehony, George Attwell Gerharts, Eddie Mann, Bronte Tadman
4 May - 17 September
Tickets from www.handlebards.com/tickets
*Press welcome to all performances from 10th May onwards*
4 May Warninglid Grange, Haywards Heath
Warninglid Lane, Haywards Heath, RH17 5TQ
7pm
10 May The Museum of the Order of St John, London
Priory Church, Museum of the Order of St John, St John’s Square, EC1V 4JJ
7pm
11 May Oasis Farm Waterloo, London
18 Carlisle Ln, London SE1 7LG
7pm
13 - 14 May Globe Neuss, Germany
Hammer Landstraße 2, Neuss, 41460 Germany
Fri 8pm, Sat 3pm & 8pm
17 May JAGS Sports Club, London
Red Post Hill, London, SE24 9JN
7pm
19 May Luton Hoo Estate
Farm Road, Luton, LU1 4FL
7pm
21 May The Quarry Theatre, Bedford
26 St Peter’s Street, Bedford MK40 2NN
7pm
22 May The Millennium Pavilion, Cambridgeshire
The Trundle, Somersham, Cambridgeshire PE28 3JS
7pm
24 May Stow Hall Gardens, King’s Lynn
Stow Bardolph, King’s Lynn, PE34 3HU
7pm
25 May Pensthorpe Natural Park, Norfolk
Fakenham, Norfolk NR 21 0LN
7pm
26 May Castle Acre Priory, King’s Lynn
King’s Lynn, PE32 2XD
7pm
27 May Norwich Theatre
Theatre St, Norwich, NR2 1RL
7.30pm
29 May Diss Park
9 Park Road, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4AU
7pm
31 May Framlingham Castle
Church Street, Framlingham IP13 9BP
Luton, LU1 4FL
7pm
2 June Medway Yacht Club
Lower Upnor, Rochester ME2 4XB
7pm
3 June EM Forster Theatre, Kent
Tunbridge School, High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1JP
7pm
6 June The Royal Over-Seas League, London
Over-Seas House, Park Place, St James’s Street, London SW1A 1LR
7pm
7 June Osterley Park National Trust
Jesery Rd, Isleworth TW7 4RB
7pm
8 June Wellesley Woodlands, Surrey
Fleet Road, Aldershot, Surrey GU11 2HL
7pm
11 June Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, Sevenoaks
Riverhill, Sevenoaks, TN15 ORR
5pm
12 June Painshill, Surrey
Portsmouth Rd, Cobham, Kt11 1BE
7pm
14 June South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell
Ringmead, Bracknell RG12 7PA
6.30pm
16 June Westbury Manor Gardens, Fareham
84 West Street, Fareham PO16 0JJ
7pm
17 June Furzey Gardens, Hampshire
School Ln, Minstead, Lyndhurst SO43 7GL
7pm
18 June Rockbourne Roman Villa, Hampshire
Rockbourne, Fordingbridge, SP6 3PG
7pm
19 June Maumbury Rings, Dorchester
17 Maumbury Rd, Dorchester, DT1 1TY
7pm
22 June Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis
Church Street Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3QA
7pm
23 June The Brewhouse, Taunton
Coal Orchard, Taunton TA1 1JL
6pm
24 June The Hall, Bradford-On-Avon
Holt Rd, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire BA15 1AJ
7pm
25 June National Trust Tyntesfield, Bristol
Clevedon Road, Bristol BS48 1NX
7pm
29 June The Pound Arts Centre
Pound Pill, Corsham SN13 9HX
7pm
30 June St Michaels Park, Cirencester
St Michaels Park, King St, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1JT
7pm
1 July Painswick Rococo Garden, Gloucestershire
Gloucester Road, Painswick, Gloucestershire GL6 6TH
6.30pm
7 July Watson Hall, Gloucestershire
65 Barton St, Tewkesbury GL20 5PX
7pm
14 July Lyveden National Trust, Peterborough
Lyveden New Bield, Lyveden PE8 5AT
7pm
15 July Naseby Village Hall, Northampton
Naseby Rd NN6 6DE
7pm
16 July Castle Bromwich Gardens, Birmingham
Chester Road, Birmingham Area, Birmingham B36 9BT
7pm
19 July Amphitheatre at Berryban Park, Gloucestershire
Berrybank Park, Main Road GLK56 0XW
7pm
20 July Coventry Cathedral, Coventry
Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB
7pm
21 July Guildhall Museum
Guildhall Ln, Leicester LE1 5FQ
7pm
22 July Moira Furnace Museum, Swadlincote
Furnace Lane, Swadlincote, DE12 6AT
7pm
23 July Cromford Mills, Cromford
Mill Rd, Cromford, Matlock DE4 3RQ
7pm
24 July Monkey Park, Chesterfield
128 Chester Street, Chesterfield, S40 1DN
5pm
27 July High Lea Park, Derbyshire
St Mary's Road, New Mills, SK22 3BW
7pm
28 July Ordsall Hall, Salford
22 Ordsall Lane, Salford, Greater Manchester M5 3AN
7pm
31 July The Reader, Liverpool
Calderstones Park, Calderstones Rd, Liverpool L18 3JB
7pm
1 Aug Lancaster Castle, Lancaster
Castle Park, Lancaster, LA1 1YJ
7pm
10 Aug Hexham Abbey, Hexham
Beaumont St, Hexham, NE46 3NB
7pm
11 Aug Northumberlandia, Northumberland
Fisher Ln, Cramlington NE23 8AU
7pm
13 Aug Felton Park, Northumberland
2 The Mill, Felton, Morpeth NE65 9HL
7pm
14 Aug Alnmouth Friary, Northumberland
The Friary, Alnmouth NE66 3NJ
7pm
16 Aug The Alnwick Garden, Northumberland
Denwick Lane, Alnwick NE66 1YU
7pm
18 Aug Thirlestane Castle, Lauder
Lauder, Borders, TD2 6RU
7pm
19 – 20 Aug Assembly George Square Gardens, Edinburgh
George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LH
2pm
21 Aug Cawdor Castle, Cawdor
Cawdor, Nairn, IV12 5RD
7pm
23 Aug All Saint’s Church, Newcastle upon Tyne
West Ave, Gosforth NE3 4ES
7pm
24 Aug Durham Cathedral
Durham DH1 3EH
7pm
26 Aug Kiplin Hall, Richmond
Richmond, DL10 6AT
7pm
27 Aug Bolton Castle, North Yorkshire
Near Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 4ET
7pm
28 Aug Workhouse Museum Ripon, Harrogate
Allhallowgate, Ripon HG4 1LE
7pm
30 Aug Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, York
Fossgate, York
7pm
1 Sept Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
Queen's Square, Queen Street, Huddersfield, HD1 2SP
3pm & 7pm
2 Sept Heeley People’s Park, Sheffield
View Rd, Heeley, Sheffield S2 3DJ
7pm
3 Sept Southwell Minster
Church Street, Southwell, NG25 0HD
7pm
6 Sept Northborough Manor, Peterborough
Northborough, Peterborough PE6 9BJ
7pm
7 Sept Kirby Hall, Northamptonshire
Kirby Ln, Deene, Gretton, Corby NN17 3EN
7pm
9 Sept St Paul’s Walden Bury, Hertfordshire
St Paul’s Walden, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 8BP
7pm
11 Sept Strawberry Hill House, Twickenham
268 Waldegrave Road, Twickenham, Greater London TW1 4ST
7pm
14 Sept Biggin Hill Memorial Museum, Westerham
Main Road, Biggin Hill, Leaves Green TN15 3EJ
7pm
15 Sept Nymans National Trust, Haywards Heath
Handcross, Haywards Heath GH17 6BT
7pm
16 - 17 Sept The Church Field, Witley
Witley, GU8 5PP
7pm
Supported by Pashley Cycles, Carradice.
