The Handelbards Will Return With a UK Tour of TWELFTH NIGHT This Summer

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+

Tickets from www.handlebards.com/tickets

Tour Dates

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

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