The Great Bike Race

 And they’re off! The 2014 IndyFringe Festival favorite is back in a full-length format. The Great Bike Race tells the store of the second running of the Tour de France in the most hilarious way possible. It was vicious, with cyclist cheating their way to the finish line, willing to sabotage anyone who crossed their path.

The show is done in a series of vignettes that introduce each of the racers separately. The staging is simple. A screen shows the landscape scrolling by as the bikers pass. Each person holds a set of handlebars to indicate their cycle.

Frankie Bolda plays the 16-year-old contender Henri Cornet with a wide-eyed innocence. He wants a gentlemanly race, but his competitors are set on playing dirty. He’s an ambitious lad with dreams of Parisian girls meeting him at the finish line and Bolda shines with her earnest portrayal.

The main race is between the cut-throat favorites Hippolyte Acoutrier (Paige Scott) and Maurice Garin (Ben Asaykwee). The prideful pair are well cast as the lascivious Garin and pompous Acoutrier. Josh Ramsey has his hands full playing four different characters: a radio announcer, a British man, Italian, and Scot, with the use of only a handful of accents, a removable kilt, and a mustache. Craig Kemp plays Gustave Drioul, the oldest competitor. Though his role is a quiet one, his background antics and quick one-liners provide some of the funniest moments in the show.

The refreshing show is a glass of lemonade (maybe with a shot of vodka thrown in), perfect for summer. It’s short, eccentric, and an utter delight. 

Don't Miss the Show 

Performances: The show runs until June 24 on the Christel DeHaan Main Stage, 627 Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis. Due to adult humor, this one’s not for kids.

Tickets: Tickets are $25 Reserved or $20 for Seniors/Students with ID.  Tickets may be purchased by calling the box office at 317-207-0171 or online at tots.org.

Photos Courtesy of Theatre on the Square