Shakespeare on the National Cycle Network

25 July 2018
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The National Cycle Network is set to be the stage this week for a Shakespearean theatre troupe travelling around Britain by bike.

The acclaimed HandleBards, who will travel through much of the Network’s 14,500 miles of routes on their energetic UK summer tour, will do two fun-packed comedy performances of famous Shakespeare’s plays on our Fallowfield Loop cycle path in Levenshulme, Manchester. An all-male cast of four will perform ‘Twelfth Night’ on 25 July while four women will present the company’s hilarious interpretation of 'Romeo & Juliet’ on 31 July.

HandleBards tour with all their set, props and costume by bike and will cycle around 1,500 miles, cycling from London to Edinburgh across the summer.

“We are over 700 miles into the tour and loving every minute of it” said actor Mark Collier who is cycling around the country as an actor in the HandleBards for the first time this year. “We’re having such an amazing adventure and the response we’re getting for the shows is great. We’ve performed in a lot of unusual places but this will be my first performance on a National Cycle Network cycle path. We travel along a few National Cycle Network routes as we cycle up the country and there are shows along the whole of our route, so if you don’t see us in Manchester you can catch us elsewhere as we slowly cycle up North.”

The Fallowfield Loop or ‘Floop’, as it’s affectionately known locally, is one of a small number of routes which we own and maintain as part of the National Cycle Network.

Rosslyn Colderley, the North England Director for Sustrans, the charity which owns the Fallowfield Loop said:

“It’s really fantastic to welcome back The Handlebards to Sustrans’ Fallowfield Loop cycle route in Manchester. Please dress for the weather and bring a picnic. If you’re not able to come to Manchester the troupes will be performing close to a cycle route near you.”

The Handlebards’ girls troupe tour the UK until 8 September, and the boys tour until 7 September. They will perform on Sustrans’ Fallowfield Loop (Crayfield Road entrance), in Levenshulme Manchester at 6.30pm on 25 July and 31 July. No ticket required, but please pay as much as you can to support the world’s first cycling theatre company. 

Find out about more events we have taking place in the North West of England via our Facebook page 

from News http://www.sustrans.org.uk/news/shakespeare-national-cycle-network
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