Cycling Shakespeare Troupe The HandleBards Head Back on Tour

The world's first cycling theatre company, The HandleBards, are delighted to celebrate their 5th anniversary with the return of their hit all-male production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream from June to September. Also, launching in June, the all-female troupe will tour a new production of As You Like It from London to Edinburgh and across the South Coast. The two troupes will perform over 60 shows each of their unique brand of environmentally sustainable and bicycle-powered Shakespeare across the UK, including performances at Bestival.

Touring with four actors sharing multiple roles and directed by James Farrell, A Midsummer Night's Dream will be performed by the all-male troupe, journeying across the UK from locations in London to Edinburgh. James is an Associate Practitioner at the RSC and regular HandleBards director. Other directing credits include Pericles (RSC), Animal Farm, Twelfth Night (Royal & Derngate), and Mucky Kid (Theatre503).

Directed by Nel Crouch, the four-strong female troupe will tour As You Like It on bicycle 1,500 miles from London to Edinburgh and then cycle performing the show from Devon to London. Nel's directing credits include a production of Fossils as part of New York's Brits Off Broadway season, The Beasts (Lyric Hammersmith), The Love I Feel is Red (Tobacco Factory) and Launch Party (Farnham Maltings). Nel assistant-directed The Trial (Young Vic) and is artistic director of Bucket Club, a multi-award-winning associate company at Farnham Maltings.

To date, The HandleBards have pedalled 6,000 miles and performed to over 50,000 people, across 12 countries and 3 continents. The company engage local communities at their shows, partnering with local business and inviting local musicians to play. This year, they are partnering with British bicycle manufacturer Pashley, whose hand-crafted bikes the troupes will be riding throughout 2017.

In 2014, the company was Winner of the Edinburgh Fringe Sustainable Practice Award from Creative Carbon Scotland, which assessed sustainable design, communication of sustainable message and a high-quality production. They were nominated again in 2015 and in 2016 were commended for 'consistency in sustainability excellence' and nominated for The Stage's inaugural Sustainability Award.

Producer Paul Moss, said: "Climate change is real and we're running out of time to mitigate the damage we're doing to our planet. We're committed to showing people how everyone can play their part, however small. In our fifth year as a bicycle-powered, environmentally sustainable touring troupe, we'll continue pedalling to become the world's front-runners in sustainable theatre."

For full tour dates, visit: http://www.handlebards.com/