Sunday 7th June 2026
Venue: Chawton House
Performance: 5pm | Doors open at 4pm
As part of our Summer of Shakespeare, join the HandleBards for a fantastically funny bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It.
Pedalling from venue to venue with all of their set, props and costumes on the back of their bikes, the HandleBards are a four-strong troupe of actors who are spending the summer bringing environmentally sustainable Shakespeare to venues across the UK.
What’s the play about? Well – Rosalind and her cousin Celia flee to the Forest of Arden, where they bump into Rosalind’s love interest Orlando. However, Rosalind is disguised as a young man. Cue some local Shepherds getting involved and the stage is set for a wild ride of wooing, hilarious mistaken identity and the odd wrestling match.
This is an outdoor production, so please bring a chair or blanket to sit on, a picnic to dig into, and dress for the weather!
Praise for previous HandleBards performances…
★★★★★ – “Explodes with energy and is a genuine treat from start to finish.” – The Stage
★★★★★ – “Five stars just don’t seem enough…” – The Sunderland Echo
Notes on Performance
- Doors open at 4pm, so bring a picnic and come and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
- Seating isn’t provided so please make sure to bring your own – chairs, picnics, blankets and any other low-backed accessories are welcome.
- In case of rain, please don’t bring umbrellas as they block sight-lines for other audience members. Ponchos and raincoats are just as fetching, so please wear these instead.
- This is an outdoors performance and surfaces may be uneven, audience members can park at the end of the drive and walk up to the house and there is accessible parking for audience members by the house – if you have any access related questions ahead of the performance please get in touch!
Important Ticket Conditions – Please Read
- Tickets will also be available to purchase on the day at the venue for £21 each, subject to availability. If the show sells out in advance then tickets may not be available on the door so early booking is encouraged!
- You can bring your tickets digitally, on a phone or tablet, so save the trees and please don’t print them.
