The Village Bike is a 2011 play by Penelope Skinner

Penelope Skinner

Penelope Skinner is a British playwright who came to prominence after her play Fucked was first produced in 2008 at the Old Red Lion Theatre and the Edinburgh Festival to huge critical acclaim and has had successive plays staged in London including at the Bush Theatre, National Theatre with an...

 which premiered at the Royal Court Theatre

Royal Court Theatre

The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...

 in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

. It won the 2011 George Devine Award and received rave reviews and had an extended sell out run.

Plot

Becky, a newly pregnant school teacher has just moved into the countryside with her husband John. While he has no interest in sex anymore and prefers to read baby books and save the envioronment Becky becomes increasingly frustrated flirting with the plumber Mike. Off work due to the summer holidays and with high rising temperatures Becky decides to get fit buying a bike off the local eccentric Oliver. Despite neighbour Jenny plying the couple with her second hand baby stuff Becky finds herself sexually frustrated and desperate for someone to still view her as an attractive woman.
Soon she embarks on a secret affair with him but is determinded not to become attached instead playing out her fantasies from John's old stash of porn

Pornography

Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...

 films that she has been driven to watching.
With Oliver's wife returning though he insists on ending it, realising how attached she now is Becky becomes desperate and John more suspicious. After filming herself having sex with Mike she cycles to Oliver but runs into his wife. Leaving in tears she comes off her bike, not badly hurt but emotionally devastated she takes to her bed. Jenny and John discuss Becky but after John finds a stash of plastic bags that are stuffed in a cupboard by Becky he storms upstairs to have her irresponsibility out with her. Terrified she's been found out they argue but soon realsing John is angry over the plastic bags she gives up, begging him for it just to go back to how it was at the start of the holiday.

Premiere

Directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins

Joe Hill-Gibbins

Joe Hill-Gibbins is a British theatre director. He is Deputy Artistic Director of the Young Vic Theatre in London.- Background :...

 in 2011 at the Royal Court Theatre

Royal Court Theatre

The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...

 in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 it starred Romola Garai

Romola Garai

Romola Sadie Garai is an English actress. She is known for appearing in the movies Amazing Grace, Atonement, and Glorious 39, and for appearing in the BBC adaptation of Emma.-Early life:...

 as Becky with the rest of the cast made up of Nicholas Burns

Nicholas Burns

Nicholas Burns is an English actor, best known for his comic performance as the title character in Nathan Barley.-Early life:Burns was born in Derbyshire, and educated at Repton School...

, Dominic Rowan

Dominic Rowan

Dominic Rowan is an English actor.-Theatre:Rowan's work in theatre includes: A Dream Play, Iphigeneia at Aulis, Mourning Becomes Electra, Three Sisters, The Talking Cure and Private Lives at the National Theatre, London; The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Merchant of Venice and Talk of the City for...

, Alexandra Gilbreath

Alexandra Gilbreath

Alexandra Gilbreath is an award-winning English actress.Gilbreath is widely known for her work both on stage and onscreen . She gained popularity with the Royal Shakespeare Company on such works as The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, The Tamer Tamed, and The Winter's Tale and Merry Wives:...

, Phil Cornwell

Phil Cornwell

Phil Cornwell is an English comedian, actor, impressionist and writer. He is probably best known as being part of the Dead Ringers television and radio series...

. It was a critical and box office success with the show being extended twice.

Reception

Winning the George Devine Award in 2011 the play was a critical success, receiving 4 stars in the Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...

with Dominic Cavendish calling it mercilessly funny – and savagely insightful .