Rook Lane Blog

March 8, 2023

On September 1 1939, two days before the outbreak of war, an entire school was evacuated to Frome from the East End of London as part of Operation Pied Piper. They stayed in Somerset for two thousand days. While at first the war is only a distant backdrop, it increasingly intrudes into the lives of the young evacuees and presents them with huge personal challenges, each of them a rite of passage.

November 15, 2022

A play about Keyford Asylum based on real events and discovered diaries. Written by Kevin Ross. In association with Dramakarma and Keyford History Group. With a grand old building facing demolition the Last Matron of Keyford watches as a parade of spectres appear before her. The building cannot be saved but it isn’t too late to resurrect the memory of those who passed through its doors.

April 8, 2019

The world’s first cycling theatre company, The HandleBards, pedal from venue to venue with all the set, props and costume necessary to perform environmentally sustainable Shakespeare across the globe.

Join their all-female troupe at Rook Lane for a bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare’s ’The Tempest’ like none other. In usual HandleBards style, expect riotous amounts of energy, a fair old whack of chaos, and a great deal of laughter.

April 11, 2018

The world’s first cycling theatre company, The HandleBards, pedal from

venue to venue with all the set, props and costume necessary to perform

environmentally sustainable Shakespeare across the globe.

May 11, 2017

The world’s first cycling theatre company, The HandleBards, pedal from venue to venue with all the set, props and costume necessary to perform environmentally sustainable Shakespeare across the globe. Join their all-female troupe in the beautiful Rook Lane […]

July 23, 2013

One of Riding Lights most inspirational plays, ‘A different drum’ is touring the UK to widespread acclaim.