Painswick Rococo Garden

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.

Join the troupe at Painswick Rococo Garden for a fantastically funny bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’.

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

Note on Weather

• Due to the hot weather forecast, Thursday’s performance will take place on the bowling green in the historic part of the garden, where there is more shade available.
• Please come prepared for the hot weather, including hats, sunscreen and plenty of water. Refreshments including cold drinks and ice creams will also be available at the coffee wagon. There is a walk down into the garden to reach the bowling green from the car park, please see the Rococo Gardens accessibility page here for more information.

Notes on Performance

• Doors open at 6pm, so bring a picnic and come and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
• Seating isn’t provided by the venue 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, the ground is sloped and a listed parkland grass field which may be difficult for wheelchair access. Priority parking close to the performance area can be arranged for audience members with reduced mobility – if you have any access related questions ahead of the performance please get in touch with the Painswick Rococo Garden team directly.

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.