Pedal-powered troupe The Handlebards bring As You Like It to Derbyshire on record-breaking UK tour (aff)

Biking actors The Handlebards are rolling into Derbyshire with environmentally sustainably Shakespeare.

A cast of four will perform As You like It as Ilam Park, near Ashbourne on Friday, July 18 at 6pm, High Lea Park in New Mills on Saturday, July 19 at 5pm and Cromford Mills on Tuesday, August 25 at 6.30pm. This tour will see the troupe cover 1,800 miles this summer, making history for the company which was founded in 2013.

The Handlebards are cyling around the country with two productions - As You Like It and Macbeth - both of which are heading for Derbyshire this summer.

placeholder image — The Handlebards are cyling around the country with two productions - As You Like It and Macbeth - both of which are heading for Derbyshire this summer.

This fantastically funny bicycle-powered production will take audiences on a journey to the Forest of Arden where Rosalind and her cousin Celia bump into Rosalind’s love interest Orlando. However, Rosalind is disguised as a young man so the scene is set for hilarious mistaken identity and the odd wrestling match!

The troupe will also present Macbeth at Heeley’s People’s Park in Sheffield on Friday, July 31 at 7pm and at High Lea Park, New Mills on Friday, August 21 at 6.30pm. This tells the story of an ambitious Scottish lord who, after a prophecy from three witches, plots to kill the king with his wife.

Both As You Like It and Macbeth are outdoor productions, so audiences are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket to sit on, a picnic to dig into and dress for the weather.

The actors travel by bike from venue to venue as they care about the planet and want to promote sustainability and healthy living. Props are carried in trailers on the back of their bikes. For larger-scaled shows, the company uses an electric van to carry a stage that is built on site.

Visit www.handlebards.com to book tickets or find out more.