FOLLOWING the success in June of its inaugural fundraising Tour d’ Arts Alive, rural touring scheme Arts Alive is delighted to continue the ‘bike theme’ with a great theatrical drama all about cycling.

Beryl – A Romance on Two Wheels is a celebration of the life of Beryl Burton, five times world pursuit champion, twice road-racing world champion and twelve times national champion.

Written by Maxine Peake and produced by West Yorkshire Playhouse, this is the story of Beryl’s life, from working on a rhubarb farm to becoming the best British cycling all-rounder for 25 consecutive years and, in 1967, setting a 12 hour time-trial record which has not been broken to this day. She caught up with Britain's fastest male cyclist whilst setting it and, legend has it, offered him a liquorice allsort as she sailed past. With just four talented performers and their bikes, Beryl evokes a sporting world before drugs, a family pulling together against the odds, the camaraderie of the amateur cycling community and, at the centre, one truly remarkable woman.

West Yorkshire Playhouse and Beryl will be riding into SpArC Theatre in Bishops Castle (01588 630321 /638038; sparctheatre.co.uk) on Saturday, October 17 at 7.30pm, and to the Conquest Theatre in Bromyard (01885 488575) on Sunday, October 18 at 7.30pm.