An uplifting story of hope and survival, the world premiere of Look, No Hands is inspired by a real-life cycling collision experienced by actor and writer Lila Clements (BBC, Sky, Royal Shakespeare Company) in 2010. Produced by Jack Holden (Cruise, War Horse), this new one-person play explores the phenomenon known as Post Traumatic Growth and the female cycling experience. The production has been made in partnership with female cycling club Velociposse, which strives to get more women and non-binary people into cycling.
Editor Karine Torr: “Great show – highly recommended. An escape for me into character Vee’s very graphic journey. The staging was wonderful, with good use of video when the doors opened, taking you onto a busy London street from the start, anticipating a traumatic event, of course, but just an every day scene on any busy road. A bike takes centre stage and Vee uses multiple positions in the course of the story to excellent effect. Very engaging and visceral, beautifully told. The lighting and directing, I thought were outstanding. I’m not a cyclist, I’m too scared! I’ll peddle up to the shops occasionally but I do admire those determined faces, speeding along with confidence. Vee is one such cyclist. As a driver it really has made me think, so it’s good for creating more awareness. I wish the production well and hope it goes on to the higher heights it deserves!”
When Vee embarks on her cycling commute, she has no idea she’ll never make it home. Appearing in a Nightingale Court to face the driver – suffering from amnesia, armed only with her hospital notes, a surprise appearance on 24 Hours in A&E and a bag of ripped clothes – she tries to piece together what happened to her that day.
Lila’s real-life collision marks a turning point in her life; “I started writing Look, No Hands in January 2020. It was coming up to the 10-year anniversary of my bike crash – which is the centre of the show. When the pandemic struck and lockdown happened, I began to see parallels between my own experiences and the global trauma we were all facing – many people’s lives had been turned upside down by Covid19 and we were living in completely new territory.”
While this play offers and insightful look at traumatic experiences as a site for growth, it also has comedic elements intertwined throughout, as Vee isn’t the most trustworthy narrator!
Jack Holden comments, Having worked with Lila as an actor at the RSC, I already knew her to be immensely talented. But when I read Look, No Hands, I was completely blown away. It’s a beautiful play written with refreshing insight. Audiences will be energised, inspired and empowered by the vulnerability and urgency of Lila’s writing.
Written with urgency and vulnerability, this one-person play has already won Pleasance’s National Partnership Award with Pitlochry Festival Theatre and is expected to continue pedalling into audience’s hearts at Pleasance Downstairs, from the 10th – 14th August.
