According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, in 2019, 16,884 cyclists were injured in road accidents reported to the Police, including 4,433 who were killed or seriously injured. The incidents can have a traumatic effect on those involved who survive and this fascinating short play explores the impact on one cyclist, Lila Clement, of such an incident in 2010 at the crossroads of Kennington Road and Hercules Road in London. It is a very personal story exploring how her love of cycling arose, the memories of the accident, the trauma of hospital and the court case that followed and the lasting impact it had on her.
Lila Clement, an actress struggling to get parts and whose confidence is undermined by every rejection, wrote the piece and plays herself in a simply staged production captured live for a streamed release. The video footage projected on the back wall (which looks like a crime board in a police case as she pieces together what happened) is excellent and translates well to the small screen. The accident is effectively staged, and the bike cleverly doubles as a wheelchair. Occasionally the lighting for the venue audience casts dark shadows on her face on screen but generally, we can clearly see her and hear her thoughts clearly.
