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Explore your theatre horizons at Minack, CornwallI approach the entrance to the Minack Theatre with a sense of great expectation. I walk into the coffee shop and grab a bite to eat before the show begins. There, from the windows, I pause to enjoy the view of Porthcurno Bay and Logan Rock. I know this is going to be a special night. I exit the coffee shop and am greeted by a staff member guiding me down to the seats, which are wide, grass steps. Some people opt to hire a Minack padded chair, however my party decides to experience the Minack on the grass with a single layer of plastic ponchos beneath us (just in case it rains). The Minack looks like well-restored ruins from a Roman-built theatre. However, the cliff-top theatre was completed less than 30 years ago. The project was orchestrated by one woman, Rowena Cade, who built the theatre on her property over a period of 50 years. Minack, in Cornish, means rocky place, and there's certainly plenty of rocks down the cliff face. You will often see fishermen perched on the rocks when a production is on. Rowena purchased the plot of land on the headland for £100. She built a house on the top for her mother and family and from 1931, until 1983 when she died, Rowena put all her energy into the remarkable theatre. She planned, built and financed its construction, with a little bit of labour help from friends. We were seeing Bros Theatre Company's production of Kiss Me Kate that night. However, it didn't matter what we were seeing, the fact that we were perched on the edge of a cliff, viewing a show with the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean was enough. The production itself was nothing special. We enjoyed their songs and energetic acting, but it wasn't something great. Nonetheless, throughout the show I would lift me eyes and admire the view, cherishing the moment of watching a musical in this amazing setting. The Minack show was the main reason we headed to Cornwall for a long weekend. And at £7.50 for seats in the main auditorium or £6 for the upper terraces, the tickets are good value. The Minack is a 10-minute drive from Lands End and 15 and 20 minutes from villages Mousehall and Penzance respectively. There are no seat allocations, so the earlier you arrive the better seat you get. However, all seats offer a good view of the stage. There's plenty of quality performances left this season, and a variety of shows to suit a range of tastes. The Tamer Tamed is from August 1 to 5; Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra is being staged from August 8 to 12; and Titanic the Musical is on from August 29 to September 2. The Proms at the Minack, on September 23 and 24, has already sold out. You can book tickets and check availability for the shows online ( www.minack.com ) or phone the box office on 01736 810 181. If you happen to be in the area out of season, or you don't want to see a show, you can visit the Minack for a cost of £3. If you do book, it is best to come prepared… bring a picnic basket, blanket and ponchos, although food is reasonably priced at the restaurant. The Minack Theatre is open to the public all year round, but shows are performed from May to September.
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