Mark Hadlow probably can't cycle 100 miles per hour, but he can talk it.
The wildly enthusiastic and personable Kiwi actor is bringing his one-man-band Mamil (Middle Aged Men in Lycra) to Tauranga for the first time.
Hadlow brings to life nine characters with the main character being Bryan Cook.
Bryan is a property developer who has accumulated a small fortune building leaking homes. He's is a stressed out, self-medicating, self-loathing git who is killing himself to increase his bank balance while decreasing his golf score.
The global financial crisis ruins him, however, and his marriage breaks down. Bryan joins a men's cycling group to relieve stress and get healthy. It is the same cycling group of the man who liquidated him. What ensues is Bryan making a few startling discoveries along this ride to redemption.
Hadlow's characters include his Kindle-obsessed-South-African business partner, his inappropriate German doctor and even the Italian cycle on which Bryan rides.
The one-man show is very character-driven, especially as there's just one prop, the bike.
The play is written by Gregory Cooper. Mamil stemmed from conversations between the writer and Hadlow. Hadlow had spent time with a peloton of riders some years back and was surprised to find the conversations were not male orientated at all, but included emotional topics such as relationship issues, health problems and work issues.
Hadlow also found the scenery incredibly uplifting and Cooper combined this into the first draft of Mamil.
Hadlow says the show is very "in your face" and its success comes from its ability to relate to so many. "Women also find it hilarious and they can relate to it because ... suddenly men are talking about their feelings?"
Hadlow's previous work includes The Hobbit trilogy, Peter Jackson's King Kong remake and Meet The Feebles as well as plenty of television work (Willy Nilly in 2001-2003) and theatrical work.
the fine print
*What: Mark Hadlow in Mamil
*Where: Baycourt
*When: Saturday 17 June, 7.30pm
*Tickets: Ticketek