THE world's first cycling theatre company Handlebards celebrate their fifth anniversary with a return to Painswick later this month with a new production of As You Like It.

The company's all-female troupe are criss-crossing the country with the show, stopping off at the Cotswold village en route on Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July1.

In usual Handlebards style, expect riotous amounts of energy, a fair old whack of chaos and a great deal of laughter.

Described by Sir Ian McKellen as "Uproariously funny", the four-strong female troupe will cycle 1,500 miles on handcrafted Pashley bicycles from London to Edinburgh and then from Devon to London.

The actors travel with their set, props and costumes in tow, and will set up on the Bowling Green right in the heart of the historic Rococo Garden.

There they will present their own unique take on one of the Bard's best-known plays. Between them the four keen cyclists will play all of the characters.

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. 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.”

Garden Director Dominic Hamilton said: “The HandleBards are firm favourites of Painswick audiences and we are thrilled to have them back. "This is one of the most popular events of our year and we are really looking forward to two nights of fabulous comedy and drama."

  • Both performances start at 6.30pm, with gates opening at 5.30pm for picnics in the Garden.
  • Guests are invited to explore the Garden prior to the performance. Well-behaved dogs are welcome and children under 16 go free. Tickets cost £15 and are available from handlebards.com.