The HandleBards
The HandleBards is a UK registered charity (with trading subsidiary Cycling Shakespeare Limited) that tours two bicycle-powered Shakespeare productions — Macbeth and As You Like It — across roughly 85 outdoor venues each summer, selling tickets direct-to-consumer and accepting donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersOrrell, Wigan, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The HandleBards does
The HandleBards is a UK-based cycling Shakespearean theatre troupe operating as a registered charity (The HandleBards CIO, Charity Number 1188117) with a trading subsidiary, Cycling Shakespeare Limited (Company Number 12516789), handling production operations. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in the UK, the company tours outdoor Shakespeare productions across approximately 85 venues per summer season, using a bicycle-powered logistics system in which actors carry all set, props, and costumes on bikes between venues. The 2026 season runs two parallel productions — a three-actor Macbeth and a four-actor As You Like It — touring across England, Scotland, and Wales from May/June through September, supported by electric van logistics for the larger Macbeth production.
The company's product surface consists of ticketed outdoor theatrical experiences at heritage castles, National Trust properties, gardens, regional theatres, and public parks, supplemented by integrated accessibility offerings (Touch Tours and intentional audio design developed with Extant and Chris Campion) for visually impaired audiences. The HandleBards sells tickets directly through its website (handlebards.com) using Stripe for payment processing, accepts donations as a charity, and runs a merchandise shop; ticket pricing is £21 standard, £16 at select venues, with Pay-What-You-Can options at certain locations.
The business model combines one-time consumer ticket purchases with recurring charitable donations and ancillary merchandise revenue, distributed across a wide network of partner venues and individual audiences. With 7 employees, a lean troupe size, and a strong endorsement profile (including Sir Ian McKellen and press reviews from The Stage, York Press, and Broadway Baby), the organization operates a distinctive, environmentally sustainable niche in the UK outdoor theatre market, protected by its registered UK trademark (UK00003293107).
The HandleBards firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The HandleBards
- Legal name
- The HandleBards CIO
- Website
- https://handlebards.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The HandleBards is a UK registered charity (with trading subsidiary Cycling Shakespeare Limited) that tours two bicycle-powered Shakespeare productions — Macbeth and As You Like It — across roughly 85 outdoor venues each summer, selling tickets direct-to-consumer and accepting donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The HandleBards industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Outdoor Theatre Performances
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management) (MPAGABAO)
Keywords
Where The HandleBards is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Orrell, Wigan
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The HandleBards business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales to Shakespeare performances at outdoor venues across the UK. Standard tickets priced at £21 with reduced pricing (£16) at some venues and Pay What You Can options at select locations. Tickets sold via website and at venue box offices.
- Donations: Charitable donations accepted through website donation page to support The HandleBards CIO (Registered Charity Number: 1188117) operations and productions.
- Merchandise Shop: Online store selling merchandise related to productions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Admission - £21 per ticket |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Reduced Price - £16 per ticket |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Pay What You Can |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
The HandleBards product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The HandleBards is a cycling Shakespearean theatre troupe that tours energetic, comedic outdoor productions of Shakespeare's plays (currently Macbeth and As You Like It) across the UK. Actors cycle between venues carrying all set, props, and costumes on bikes, creating an environmentally sustainable, carbon-neutral touring model. Performances are staged at heritage venues including castles, National Trust properties, gardens, and theatres, with audience members typically bringing picnics and their own seating.
Product overview
The HandleBards is a theatre company operating as a single unified product offering: live cycling Shakespearean performances. The company tours two main productions — Macbeth (a three-actor production) and As You Like It (a four-actor production) — across UK venues during summer seasons. Both productions are performed outdoors, feature environmentally sustainable bicycle-powered logistics where cast members carry all set, props, and costumes on bikes, and include accessible performance options with Touch Tours for visually impaired audiences. The product portfolio consists of ticketed theatrical experiences rather than software products or modules.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Macbeth Summer Tour 2026 A hilariously high-octane bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare's Macbeth, performed by a three-strong troupe touring UK venues from June to September 2026. Features mishaps, mayhem, and mirth with all set, props, and costumes carried on bikes, supported by electric van transport.
- As You Like It Summer Tour 2026 A fantastically funny bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare's As You Like It, performed by a four-strong troupe pedalling to venues across the UK from May to September 2026. Features wild rides of wooing, hilarious mistaken identity, and wrestling matches, with integrated accessibility for visually impaired audiences.
- Open Air Theatre Performances Outdoor theatre performances at various UK venues including gardens, castles, parks, theatres, and pub gardens. Audience members bring chairs or blankets to sit on and enjoy picnics during performances.
- HandleBards Merchandise Shop Online store selling merchandise related to The HandleBards productions, supporting the charity's operations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 85 performances scheduled across UK venues in 2026 summer season
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The HandleBards
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The HandleBards technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The HandleBards partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- ExtantcorePartnership with Extant (visually impaired theatre company) to develop integrated accessibility for the 2026 As You Like It tour. Extant provides tailored approach to integrating access alongside bespoke Touch Tours, enabling visually impaired audiences to fully participate without separate audio description services.
- Chris Campion (Enhance Facilitator)coreCollaboration with accessibility specialist Chris Campion as Enhance Facilitator to develop integrated audio design approach for visually impaired accessibility, making shows accessible through intentional sound elements from the ground up.
- National TrustmajorVenue hosting partnership with National Trust properties including Ilam Park, Clumber Park, and Croome. National Trust venues provide unique heritage settings for outdoor Shakespeare performances and cross-promote events to their visitor base.
- Various UK Heritage VenuesmajorApproximately 85 venue partnerships across the UK including Lancaster Castle, Alnwick Castle, Dunnottar Castle, Cawdor Castle, historic houses, gardens, theatres, and public parks. Venues host performances as part of their events programming and sell tickets through their own systems where indicated.
- StripecorePayment processing service used for all card payments on the website, enabling secure online ticket transactions.
- MailchimpcoreEmail marketing platform used to send newsletters and information about productions to subscribers. Some Mailchimp services use servers outside the EEA.
- Cycling Shakespeare LimitedcoreSubsidiary company (Registered Company Number: 12516789) through which The HandleBards CIO operates its productions. The HandleBards is the registered trademark (UK00003293107) property of The HandleBards CIO (Registered Charity Number: 1188117).
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The HandleBards competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Lord Chamberlain's Men: UK touring Shakespeare company performing open-air productions at heritage venues and gardens across the country. Directly comparable operating model to HandleBards with the same outdoor, mobile touring concept and similar target audience of theatre-goers at castles, gardens, and National Trust properties.
- Creation Theatre: Oxford-based outdoor and site-specific Shakespeare theatre company performing at heritage venues and gardens. Comparable in outdoor classical repertoire and venue-led distribution, though more regionally anchored than HandleBards' UK-wide tour.
- Illyria Theatre: Touring UK Shakespeare and family theatre company performing at heritage sites, castles, gardens and festivals. Same direct-to-consumer touring model, same outdoor and heritage venue partnerships, and overlapping audience segments as HandleBards.
- Rain or Shine Theatre Company: UK touring open-air Shakespeare company that performs at heritage sites, parks, and outdoor venues across England. Comparable open-air mobile Shakespeare model targeting similar audiences and venues as HandleBards.
- Heartbreak Productions: UK outdoor touring theatre company performing Shakespeare, classics, and family productions at heritage venues, gardens, and outdoor spaces. Comparable scale, touring format, and audience segments as HandleBards.
- Three Inch Fools: UK touring Shakespeare troupe performing open-air Shakespeare at historic houses, castles, gardens, and churches. Closely comparable in scale, mobile touring format, venue type, and audience demographic to HandleBards.
- The Pantaloons: UK outdoor touring theatre company performing Shakespeare and other classical works at festivals, heritage venues and community events. Comparable mobile, open-air format and direct ticket-sales model targeting similar family and theatre audiences.
- Oddsocks: UK touring open-air Shakespeare and family theatre company performing at heritage sites, castles, gardens, and festivals. Closely comparable touring outdoor format, venue profile, and direct ticketing approach to HandleBards.
Broad incumbents
- Shakespeare's Globe: London-based major Shakespeare venue producing classical repertoire including touring and outdoor work. Overlaps with HandleBards on Shakespeare audience and brand but operates a fixed venue at much larger scale rather than a touring model.
- English Touring Theatre: Established UK touring theatre company producing classical and contemporary work across the country. Overlaps with HandleBards in Shakespeare and UK touring distribution but operates at larger scale with broader repertoire and a wider venue network including conventional theatres.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The HandleBards social profiles
Digital presenceThe HandleBards financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The HandleBards leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The HandleBards subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The HandleBards funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The HandleBards M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The HandleBards
What does The HandleBards do?
The HandleBards is a cycling Shakespearean theatre troupe that tours energetic, comedic outdoor productions of Shakespeare's plays (currently Macbeth and As You Like It) across the UK. Actors cycle between venues carrying all set, props, and costumes on bikes, creating an environmentally sustainable, carbon-neutral touring model. Performances are staged at heritage venues including castles, National Trust properties, gardens, and theatres, with audience members typically bringing picnics and their own seating.
Is The HandleBards a public or private company?
The HandleBards is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The HandleBards founded?
The HandleBards was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The HandleBards based?
The HandleBards is headquartered in Orrell, Wigan, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The HandleBards make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and merchandise Shop.
Who are The HandleBards's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Lord Chamberlain's Men, Creation Theatre, Illyria Theatre, Rain or Shine Theatre Company, Heartbreak Productions, Three Inch Fools, The Pantaloons and Oddsocks. Broad incumbents are Shakespeare's Globe and English Touring Theatre.
Does The HandleBards have an API?
No public API is recorded for The HandleBards.
What industry is The HandleBards in?
The HandleBards's product category is Outdoor Theatre Performances. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAC, Touring Theatre Productions, with a secondary code of MPAGABAO, Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management). Its NAICS code is 71111.