The HandleBards (L to R): Callum Brodie, Tom Dixon, Paul Moss & Callum Cheatle
When: 29th May – 10th August 2014
Where: Touring across Scotland and England (see below)
£: Ticket prices vary depending on venue
What is it?
Beautifully British and bonkers, the HandleBards, a four-strong, all-male troupe of cycling players, will pedal the length and breadth of the UK for three months. The HandleBards will be performing fast-paced productions of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and The Comedy Of Errors.
To add to the challenge, the HandleBards will be carrying all the required set, props, costumes and camping equipment for the 2000 mile journey on their bikes. This will be the second outing of their environmentally sustainable touring theatre, after they successfully toured productions of Twelfth Night and Romeo and Juliet last year.
See some sustainable Shakespeare by the Handlebards.
Starting in London on 28th May, the HandleBards are passing through almost 50 venues across Scotland and England. These are excitingly diverse, ranging from castles and country houses to cycle shops and even an old RN frigate, HMS Unicorn. They will stop off at Harewood House in Yorkshire for the Tour De France Grand Départ and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh for the Fringe. They are also performing at The Dell in Stratford-upon-Avon (the Royal Shakespeare Company’s outdoor playing space) and Rufford Old Hall in Lancashire, where Shakespeare himself performed in 1585.
All set and props used in the productions are restricted to items that can be found either on a bicycle or in a campsite. The team’s bikes will be rigged up to power various mechanical contraptions onstage. The use of bicycles as transport for the escapade will save 45.6 tonnes of CO2 emissions, compared to the same adventure undertaken by car. Shakespeare is truly sustainable in his first fully ‘green’ tour. At each venue, the four HandleBards perform alongside acoustic bands and musicians, each resident to the area, ensuring that their low-tech British pragmatism fully engages local showgoers.
Before the HandleBards, none of the boys could claim to be avid cyclists. As such, they were thoroughly unprepared for numerous incidents on last year’s tour; including the challenge of dragging a 60kg trailer across the Yorkshire Dales in 32-degree heat. They’ve been in constant training this spring though. Director James Farrell’s recent directing work includes Twelfth Night (Royal and Derngate) and Pericles (Royal Shakespeare Company). The HandleBards are supported using public funding by Arts Council England and the National Lottery.
The Tour dates are as follows:
The Comedy Of Errors at Polesden Lacey, Great Bookham on 29th May at 2pm (Phone 0844 249 1895)
The Comedy Of Errors at the Sustainability Centre, Petersfield on 30th May at 7pm (Phone 01730 823 166)
Macbeth at Larmer Tree Gardens, Salisbury on 1st June at 6pm (Phone 01725 516 971)
The Comedy Of Errors at Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury on 2nd June at 6.30pm (Phone 01458 831 361)
Macbeth at The Courts Garden, Holt on 4th June at 7pm (Phone 0844 249 1895)
The Comedy Of Errors at Ashton Court, Bristol on 5th June at 7pm
The Comedy Of Errors at Painswick Rococo Garden, Painswick on 6th June at 6.30pm (Phone 01452 813 204)
Macbeth at Painswick Rococo Garden, Painswick on 7th June at 6.30pm (Phone 01452 813 204)
The Comedy Of Errors at The Fleece Inn, Bretforton on 8th June at 7pm (Phone 01386 831 173)
The Comedy Of Errors at Elstow Abbey, Elstow on 12th June at 7pm (Phone 01234 264 177)
The Comedy Of Errors at Cottesbrooke Hall, Northampton on 13th June at 7pm (Phone 01604 505 808)
Macbeth at The Dell, Stratford-upon-Avon on 14th June at 1pm and 4pm (Phone 0844 800 1110)
The Comedy Of Errors at The Dell, Stratford-upon-Avon on 15th June at 12pm and 3pm (Phone 0844 800 1110)
The Comedy Of Errors at Leicester Guildhall, Leicester on 17th June at 7.30pm (Phone 0116 253 2569)
The Comedy Of Errors at Thrumpton Hall, Thrumpton on 18th June at 7pm (Phone 07796 956 556)
The Comedy Of Errors at Newark Castle, Newark on 19th June at 7pm (Phone 01636 650 000)
Macbeth at South Scarle Community Centre, South Scarle on 20th June at 8pm (Phone 01636 892 056)
The Comedy Of Errors at Gainsborough Old Hall, Gainsborough on 21st June at 7pm (Phone 01427 677 348)
The Comedy Of Errors at South Street Park Amphitheatre, Sheffield on 22nd June at 5pm (Phone 0114 221 1900)
Macbeth at Recycle Bikes, Sheffield on 23rd June at 7pm (Phone 0144 250 7717)
The Comedy Of Errors at Ordsall Hall, Salford on 24th June at 7pm (Phone 0161 872 0251)
Macbeth at Ordsall Hall, Salford on 25th June at 7pm (Phone 0161 872 0251)
Macbeth at Rufford Old Hall, Ormskirk on 27th June at 7pm (Phone 0844 815 5635)
The Comedy Of Errors at Hoghton Tower, Preston on 28th June at 7pm (Phone 0844 888 9991)
Macbethat Hoghton Tower, Preston on 29th June at 7pm (Phone 0844 888 9991)
The Comedy Of Errors at the Richard Whiteley Theatre, Giggleswick on 30th June at 7pm (Phone 01729 893 180)
The Comedy Of Errors at Bolton Castle, Leyburn on 1st July at 7.30pm (Phone 01969 623 981)
The Comedy Of Errors at Skipton Castle, Skipton on 2nd July at 7pm (Phone 01756 792 442)
Macbeth at Hardcastle Crags, Hebden Bridge on 3rd July at 6.30pm (Phone 0844 249 1895)
The Comedy Of Errors at Wentworth Castle, Barnsley on 4th July at 6.45pm
Harewood House, Leeds on 5th & 6th July, play and times to be confirmed
The Comedy Of Errors at Merchant Adventurer’s Hall, York on 8th July at 7.30pm (Phone 01904 654 818)
Macbeth at Merchant Adventurer’s Hall, York on 9th July at 7.30pm (Phone 01904 654 818)
The Comedy Of Errors at The Bivouac, Masham on 10th July at 7pm (Phone 01765 535 020)
The Comedy Of Errors at Raby Castle, Darlington on 11th July at 6.30pm (Phone 01833 660 202)
The Comedy Of Errors at The Cycle Hub, Newcastle on 12th July at 7pm (Phone 0191 276 7250)
Macbeth at Crook Hall, Durham on 13th July at 7pm (Phone 0191 384 8028)
The Comedy Of Errors at Crook Hall, Durham on 14th July at 7pm (Phone 0191 384 8028)
The Comedy Of Errors at Whalton Manor, Morpeth on 16th July at 7pm (Phone 01665 606 515)
Macbeth at Ford Castle, Berwick-upon-Tweed on 18th July at 7pm (Phone 01665 606 515)
Macbeth at Bowhill House, Selkirk on 19th July at 6pm (Phone 01750 22204)
Macbeth at Kailzie Gardens, Peebles on 20th July at 6.30pm (Phone 01721 720 007)
The Comedy Of Errors at New Lanark WHS, Lanark on 21st July at 7pm (Phone 01555 661 345)
Macbeth at The Helix, Falkirk on 25th July at 7pm (Phone 01324 590 900)
The Comedy Of Errors at Hatton Castle, Newtyle on 26th July at 6pm
Macbeth at Dunsinane Hill, Dunsinnan on 27th July at 6pm
Macbeth at Coupar Angus on 30th July at 7.30pm (Phone 01828 628 388)
The Comedy Of Errors at the HM Frigate Unicorn, Dundee on 31st July at 8pm (Phone 01382 200 900)
Macbeth at Cambo Estate, St Andrews on 1st August at 7pm (Phone 01333 450 054)
The Comedy Of Errors at Fingask Castle, Rait on 3rd August at 4pm
The Comedy Of Errors at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, 6th – 10th August at 6.45pm
More info: For more details and tickets visit www.peculius.com