Theater as a form of art was derived from the ancient Greek dramas and has not changed much to the present day. People’s feelings towards a theater have always been the same since ancient times, only the scenery and the landscapes change. A theater stage sometimes appears in the most unexpected places. One such theater that exists in an unusually beautiful and mystical park is in Scotney castle, it evokes a fairy-tale setting with elves and fairies. Another unique theater built on a rocky granite cliff which juts out into the sea above a picturesque azure bay, is the Minack Theater of Cornwall, in South-west England.
Rowena Cade moved to Cornwall after the First World War and designed a house on a steep point above this Atlantic bay. The idea to turn her garden into a theater came to her in 1929, when theater-lovers from the local village had staged Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in a meadow of the village. The next Shakespeare play “The Tempest” was performed in the garden of Miss Cade. Her gardener had created a terrace overlooking the bay and subsequently for many years after a summer open-air theater was held there.
In the winter months it was continuously being improved and a granite stage was eventually established, where in the summer months theatrical life was being enacted. Up until her death (in 1983), Miss Cade had devoted herself to the theater arts, reinforcing and improving the theater parterre with stone chairs and floral terrace.
The extraordinary theater with its fabulous views over the bay and beaches near the village of Porthcurno became world famous. The amazingly beautiful cove with turquoise clear water and glistening shining sand of crushed white seashells is easily visible from the Minack Theater. Even the most unromantic traveler cannot help falling in love with this magical landscape and the breathtaking granite cliffs, which tower 70 meters above the sky-blue sea creating a miraculous atmosphere.
The beach at Porthcurno has been listed among the top ten most beautiful beaches in the world. Also, the cliffs and coastline around Porthcurno is classified as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). A third of Cornwall has the same protection as a National Park, with twelve unique nature reserves included in the list of AONB.
During the time when no performances are taking place, the theater is open to visitors. During the summer season theater-lovers from around the world come to experience the plays at the Minack Theater. The delightful harmony of nature intertwined with the emotions of human passion, makes every moment there for the visitor an experience that will never be forgotten or likely to be repeated in their lifetime.