When my family told me " You have to visit the Minack Theatre" and showed me photos of it, like the one below, it didn't look very appealing to me. It's the shot everyone takes when they enter the site. Not wanting to be rude to my family, "Ok, I'll see what my schedule and weather is like during my stay in Cornwall"
Visit the Minack Theatre at last
After a few castle hopping, one day I figured I'd do something different, and decided to check out the Minack Theatre. It's located at Porthcurno which is at the very south western tip of UK accessible by small country roads, and a rather steep and winding drive up to the cliff top. The drive here was an experience in itself.
Just to give you some idea, the Minack Theatre is an outdoor theatre built by hand tools, on a cliff right next to the sea. The photo above was taken at the entrance, that's the red dot at the top of this layout plan below. The garden and the seats are built in the cliff, and the stage is further down towards the sea. I don't know how deep the drop is from top to bottom, but the internet says there are 90 steps. I didn't count, but that sounds about right.
This photo gives you a better idea of how steep the theatre is. You do not want to trip and fall because it's all stone, the grass is just a very thin layer, it won't give you any buffer...
and should you unfortunately fall, this is where you might end up if you roll all the way down!!! Ok, just joking, there are some barriers, but still, trust me, you don't want to trip and fall here.
Getting to know Rowena better
After a quick walk around outside, I headed inside the Rowena Cade Exhibition Center to get a better understanding of what the Minack Theatre is all about. This is the best place to start, because it tells you about who Rowena Cade is - the lady who built this theatre. You can read more about it here, but the TL:DR version is that Rowena lived at the Minack headland and was into theatre production for the locals. She wanted to build an outdoor theater and figured the cliff would be the perfect setting.
Rowena started realising her vision at the beginning of the 1930s. She was a tough and determined grafter and built all this using hand tools. She bought sand up from the beach to make the cement for the seats, and etched drawings and writing on them using a screwdriver. Others helped, of course, but no heavy machinery was involved. This model inside the exhibition center will give you an idea on the scale of this amazing feat. Rowena was still chiselling away when she was in her 80s, and after she died in 1983, her legacy and vision still continues today.
A tour of the Minack Theatre
Now that I had a greater understanding of the how and why of the Minack Theatre, I went back outside to get a look a better look and appreciation of the place. Everything meant a lot more to me now.
I could visualise people sitting here watching a play or performance. They happen between Easter and October, with additional shows at Christmas. It must be so awesome to sit outdoors here, literally, within nature, listening to the wind and waves as background music to the performance. The seats are carpeted with fresh grass that is replaced every spring, and the seats nearer down to the stage are all hand built with rocks and cement by Rowena and her team.
On one of the building walls and seats, they had etched the names and date of the plays that were played here previously.
Although made of stone, the seats were surprisingly quite comfortable, and ergonomically fitting. What I admired most was the attention of to detail in making each seat, and the drawing etched around it.
Afternoon cuppa
As much as I enjoyed walking around the theatre, it was a bit chilly and wet. And like all Brits, I needed my afternoon cuppa. That's a cup of tea for your non Brits. You can always get a good cup of tea when you're on holiday around England. The cafe at the Minack Theatre had an incredible view looking out to the sea and it was very welcoming to sit inside the warmth.
Tips to visit the Minack Theatre
If you want to visit the Minack Theatre, you have to book in advance, particularly if you're driving or want to see one of the performances. You can also catch a bus to Porthcurno and walk the steep hill up to the Minack Theatre. Entry tickets cost £10 and is valid for repeat entries during the year. Make sure to check the opening times here first because they're not open every day during the off peak season. It's a bit of a trek, but it's worth it. I'm glad I came.
