The play, performed outdoors included four young lovers lost in a magical forest, the Fairy King and Queen fighting for the possession of a changeling boy and a group of amateur actors heading to the same forest to rehearse for a play which saw humans and fairies collide. The rendition went down a storm under the watchful eye of the Lady of the North.

Every year, the sun always manages to make an appearance just in time for the Handlebards’ performance whatever the weather leading up to the evening and this year was no exception!

Despite the wind, rain and Northumberland Wildlife Trust staff holding their breath last week, on the night, no spotlights were needed as the sun shone, the temperature was off the scale enabling the ‘Bards’ to deliver a sell-out performance with their extremely energetic show.

Committed to providing environmentally-friendly open-air theatre across the country, the Shakespearean actors pedal from venue to venue with the set, props and costumes on their bicycles.

 In previous years, the Cramlington site has hosted performances of As You It, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night.   

Made of 1.5 million tonnes of rock, clay and soil, Northumberlandia is 100 feet high and a quarter of a mile long. Built by the Banks Group, on land donated by Blagdon Estates, Northumberland Wildlife Trust is the managing agent, working on behalf of the Land Trust.