Shakespeare in Midhurst

It's not often we get the chance to see Shakespeare on our own doorstep, but last night The Handlebards gave us Twelfth Night, 5 minutes walk from home, in the garden of Capron House. You might wonder about the name - the company travels to all its venues by bike, complete with costumes and bits of scenery. On the way to Midhurst, two of the riders came off their bikes, but the show must go on and they were well bandaged.

Like all good Shakespeare, the play has cross dessing, 4 male actors imaginatively playing all parts. Unlike all good Shakespeare, it also had suspenders and balloon boobs. Everyone finds balloon boobs funny, no matter what age, and this audience howled when the boobs kept bursting. Luckily the actor carried a spare to blow up and replace!

On the left, Lady Olivia [Ross Ford], Maria her maid [Mark Collier], and the pompous Malvolio [Luke Wilson] being made to look ridiculous in his yellow stockings. Not sure Shakespeare mentioned suspenders......

Great fun, but it was one of those evenings when you [or I] were glad you weren'tsitting on the front row. The actors helped themselves to the audiences picnics, particularly beer and wine, and strawberries.

Thank you, Handlebards, for a fabulous fun evening.