THE CAST OOZED TALENT; THEIR CAMARADERIE AND CHEMISTRY WAS GENUINELY ENJOYABLE TO WATCH

By Rachel Cameron-Potter ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Stuff Rachel Says | Press Invite

Home of the 2026 Chelsea Flower Show, the Royal Hospital Chelsea makes a fitting stage for Shakespeare’s As You Like It. The verdant courtyards and decadent buildings have a timeless feel to it, much like the play itself, yet the simple stage consisting of a zipped-up sheet and two trails of bunting adds a modern layer of quirkiness to the atmosphere – a sign of what’s to come.

Entering the small, stony courtyard where the stage was set, the intimate atmosphere (accompanied by the dulcet tones of Joel Benedict’s acoustic guitar) was a world away from the sheer chaos of the District line I’d exited just ten minutes prior to get to my destination.

Not that I had much to complain about: what was my final destination was another stop in the Handlebards 1800 mile-long tour across the nation. With just four bicycles and sheer willpower, the quirky foursome were cycling costumes, props and sets across the UK in a Herculean effort to promote sustainability in theatre.

Since travelling by bike meant travelling light, you had to give credit to the acting chops of the ‘bards, who were able to immerse the audience in the story without intricately designed sets or costume changes. Every actor, at one point or another, needed to double up on roles, sometimes even in the same scene, with hats, beards, sunglasses and coats standing in for characters while the actor would be playing someone else.

At one point, the constant twirling between coats to say lines for different characters became a bit of a distraction, but otherwise the cast pulled this off with flair, even making jokes and breaking the fourth wall when things didn’t quite go according to plan.

The occasional choppy change aside, the cast oozed talent, and their camaraderie and chemistry on stage was genuinely enjoyable to watch. It’s hard to pick a standout performance here: Isobel Donkin and Josh Radcliffe brought the giddiness of new love to life in their performances as Rosalind and Orlando, while their alternative characters – Donkin as a Tim Curry-esque Jacques, and Radcliffe as the cantankerous Duke Frederick – had the audience in stitches. Joel Benedict was simply hilarious in both his roles as Charles the Wrestler and Le Beau, and Sarah Bulmer was a ray of sunshine both on and off the stage.

It’s also worth giving an honourable mention to Peter from London, the unfortunate soul in the front row handpicked by the cast to play the stag, sheep, lioness and God of Marriage, much to the audience’s bemusement (and relief). The audience involvement was a genuine laugh for everyone involved: truthfully, I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much at a Shakespeare play.

All the world’s a stage, especially if you’re an actor with a bicycle and a dream. The bicycling ‘bards were a joy to watch, and definitely worth catching in London while you still can.

The Handlebards: As You Like It was performed at Royal Hospital Chelsea on Tuesday 7 July.

WEBSITE

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Photo Credit:  Tom Dixon