On Yer Bikes, Yorkshire!

Written and photographed by Maria Spadafora @bloodynoraDJ

Ok, you got me now. I’m officially on board with the Yorkshire Festival.

Yes, I work in the arts, but sometimes I feel like an imposter, my background is more fish and chips than sushi. Show me a Turner Prize winning shed and it takes me a while to get beyond “So? It’s a shed. My Nan had one in our back yard that was better than this…” I struggled to enthuse with Leeds City Council’s excitement about rugby last year, which whiffed of post-Olympiad desperation (I can’t be the only one?) and when Le Tour was announced I did a little “Uh oh…” at the thought of the arts sector grappling to find ways to connect art with cycling and then engage “the people”.

But give me a big outdoor spectacle with aerialists, projections and scrapping Italians and I’m your girl. Especially if you throw in a tonne of glitter. Glitter is good.

Luce  by Theater Tol is a “flying play” and truly a spectacle (I’ve been using that word a lot this week). Staged outside Dewsbury’s Town Hall, the story is inspired by the struggle between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali, two Italian cyclists who were opposites in opposition – one religious, one not; both equally adored and hated. The show started as night began to fall, with the company handing out flags to the crowd to rev us up, but it’s when the first flying woman appears, all wings and glitter, that I’m hooked. We’re in Dewsbury town centre witnessing a beautiful creation, it matters not that I don’t understand the words of this aerial opera.

This production has it all – drama, music, stunning lighting and projections, wonderful performers and flying bikes. I’ve definitely never seen flying bikes before (unless you count ET), and I’m certain most of the audience, like me, were thrilled and impressed by the skill, talent and imagination on display. Just breath taking.

So, Yorkshire Festival, having been to my first event of this 100 day extravaganza, I salute you and say “bring it on.” More bicycle inspired arts, please.

(Just don’t ask me to get on one).

More of Maria Spadafora‘s photographs of Tol Theater and Luce here by  – you can also follow her over on twitter @bloodynoraDJ