Newhaven Blazing Saddles

The 8 & 9 September weekend rehearsals & shows in Newhaven was severly hit by strong winds & intermittent driving rain.

Rehearsals, Saturday 8th – Two courageous local participants braved the weather with their bicycles. Sadly not enough for the show but they were treated to an impromptu, if rather wet, workshop. The rest of the day was spent rehearsing in wet spaces along a riverside route between Newhaven Skate Park & The Sidings, occasionally in a shower.

On Sunday 9th, show day, the forecast was for torrential downpours during the 2-4pm show time, so we decided to cancel the ride route & run static shows at The Sidings. After a flurry of contingency planning, comms & rehearsals, two mostly dry shows took place at 2pm & 4pm. Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects CIC 2024

Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects CIC 2024

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Below is the show promotion & information for potential participants.

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The Show:  

Blazing Saddles is a unique outdoor performance telling the little known story of the moment bicycles first became widely available & women transformed their clothing to be able to ride.  

Evolving from a contemporary choreography, the show is a visual narrative, using movement, character & humour, clowning, costume & cake to to tell the story of a group of women caught up in the excitement & possibility of travel, freedom & independence.  

The show is performed in a variety of sequences along a short, slow ride or walk in locations between Newhaven Skatepark & Pumptrack, & The Sidings, including a 30 min picnic break on the Riverside.  

Follow the route to watch the show or drop in to different locations – timings available soon.

Perform in the Show

In Newhaven, Blazing Saddles will be performed by a cast of professional & local performers and their bikes. Come & perform with us!

Gain a unique insight into the show’s choreographic structures, have loads of fun & develop a few skills on your bike.  The show is created with participants over the weekend of 7 & 8 September leading to the performance, all the info you’ll need & sign up details at this link – https://bit.ly/GetInvolvedSBS

Watch a short film of the show:

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More info on the overall project: www.sussexblazingsaddles.co.uk 

Follow us on socials: @kpprojectscic & @bicycleballet for the latest news & information

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Blazing Saddles by Brighton based The Bicycle Ballet Co, created by Artistic Director Karen Poley & Choreographer Janine Fletcher, with costumes by Holly Murray, sound by Ollie Alymer, & performed by Kate Evans, Typhaine Delaup, Ella Fleetwood, Jo Dyer & Jo Gale.

The performance is presented as part of Sussex Blazing Saddles, a National Lottery Heritage Funded project exploring the impact of the bicycle on women from the 1890s -1928, when women eventually won the vote.  Also in September, the Sussex Blazing Saddles touring exhibition will be at Newhaven Library from 1-15 September.  The project is also supported by Creative Newhaven, Newhaven Festival & Newhaven Museum.

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