A unique blend of cycling and theatre comes to Darlington giving residents and visitors the chance to take part in this immersive experience
Eden Arts have partnered up with Darlington Borough Council to bring the award winning Blast Theory to South Park Darlington with their unique experience Rider Spoke. Having toured worldwide Eden Arts are delighted to be able to introduce this event to the area. Tickets are available to purchase for the three days the tour visits Darlington on Friday 21st April, Saturday 22nd April and Sunday 23rd April.
You are given the opportunity to listen to other peoples stories, hidden along the route of your choice, while being prompted to share your own. Previous participants have described the experience as ‘contemplative, ‘thought provoking’ and ‘fun’.
If you are not able to ride a bike there are other options making the event fully accessible. You can bring your own bike or turn up and use one provided by Northern Renewables in Redcar, or you can take part on foot or in a wheelchair
This tour will also see Rider Spoke visit Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake 21st-23rd April and to The Palace Hub in Redcar 28th-30th April. Each location offers an entirely different experience from lake shore to park, seaside to town.
Rider Spoke was developed by Brighton based Blast Theory in collaboration with the Mixed Reality Lab and was first was first staged at the Barbican, London. Blast Theory are renowned for creating groundbreaking new forms of performance and interactive media that mixes audiences across the internet, live performance and digital broadcasting.
Rider Spoke is brought to you as part of the #66 project linking regions along the A66, supported by the Arts Council and the local authorities across the region. Curated and managed by Eden Arts the #66 project brings new cultural, digital and sustainable projects to the region, helping to make it the most liveable place in the UK, especially for the under 40s.
This is more than just a bike ride, it’s theatre on a bike. Be ready for the most revealing bike ride you’ll ever have. Across the 28 cities where the work has been shown it has been astonishing to see what people share – sometimes shocking, sometimes very funny, often intimate, and personal.
Additional information and booking:
Rider Spoke is suitable for people aged 16 years and over. With a smartphone attached to your handlebars, set off in search of the perfect place to hide a secret. Guided by narration and a delicate soundtrack, explore back roads and hidden corners in search of personal stories told by people like you from around the world. Take time to reflect on the moments in your own life that mean the most. Then decide whether to leave behind a story of your own.
The work is accessible for people with disabilities including reduced mobility, impaired vision and hearing. Audiences with access needs can take part in a wheelchair, on a mobility scooter, or on foot. Bring your own bike or hop on one loaned by the Northern Renewable Centre, Redcar. We give you a smartphone with the Rider Spoke app already on it and ready to go, so you don’t have to use your own phone or download anything.
The duration of the show for an individual participant is around 75 minutes. There will be 6 tickets available every 30 mins.
Rider Spoke is a cultural treat, environmentally sound, good for mind and body – what inner thoughts do you have as you cycle around the town?
“gloriously enlivening … ” – Metro, five stars
“As soon as it was over, I wanted more.” – ICON Magazine
Rider Spoke Tickets £5 per person. Early bird tickets available with the discount code ‘earlybird’ https://www.edenarts.co.uk/projects/rider-spoke
Theatre by the Lake 14-16 April, 2pm-7pm
South Park, Darlington 21-23 April, 2pm-7pm
The Palace Hub, Redcar 28-30 April, 2pm-7pm
