The Minack Theatre, enjoying Shakespeare on the cliffs
In the south west of the beautiful english coast of cornwall , a strong and creative woman had a dream more than 80 years ago: to offer the possibility of enjoy the theater to the many people from the towns and fields of the area , who lacked access to such cultural events. In addition, her works would not be represented in a conventional venue, but she was going to build, with her own hands, a really peculiar stage and stalls between the rocks of a dramatic cliff that offered unparalleled views. It was like that Rowena Cade gave life to one of the most original and beautiful open-air theaters in the world, the Minack Theater.
THIS IS HOW THE 'DREAM OF A SUMMER NIGHT' BEGAN
In 1929 , one such Miss Cade , with just turned 36 years old and a dreamy and powerful mind, she was involved in the representation of one of her favorite plays: The dream of a nigth of summer , of William Shakespeare.
Here nothing can go wrong
The famous English playwright created this comedy in the twilight of the 16th century, and in it he recounts the events that take place during the wedding of Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, the supreme queen of the Amazons . Lovers, actors, fairies, a forest... A Midsummer Night's Dream has everything you need to create an intoxicating and absorbing atmosphere.
The magic, and nothing else, spread among those attending that performance, producing such a success that the company of actors wanted to repeat it the following year. On that occasion, the chosen work was The Tempest Also from Shakespeare.
Rowena Cade offered her beautiful garden to bring this show to life . And it was not an offer without value, because she lived in such a beautiful place that the company did not hesitate, not even for a moment, in accepting it.
Incredible views of Minack Cliffs from the theater
And it is that Rowena had acquired, in the early years of the 20s of the last century, a magnificent land on top of the cliffs of Minack . Surrounded by sea, long golden beaches and the typical green of this part of England, ' Meynek ’ – a word from the old Cornish dialect of the Celtic language family, meaning “rocky place” – was a place of alluring beauty.
On the highest part she built her house and around it she began to give life to a garden with the most diverse species , lending an extra layer of color to her rocky property.
A THEATER CARRIED OUT WITH SWEAT AND SOME DYNAMITE
To carry out the necessary work to transform the rough and uneven cliff into a theater, Rowena and her few helpers – including her gardener and some local men – did not use any heavy machinery, only their arms. , your effort, conventional tools and the odd stick of dynamite.
At more than 30 meters above sea level, and knowing that a single wrong step could hit their bones at the bottom of the cliff, everyone worked hard to create a stage Y some rows of seats in which Rowena engraved names of plays.
Finally, everything was ready to represent The Tempest in 1932, this being the official opening year of the Minack Theater.
The rows of seats are engraved with great works and authors
LOCAL THEATER AND SHOW FOR LOCAL PEOPLE
From 1932 until the day of her death – in 1983, shortly before her 90th birthday. Rowena Caden was the soul of the Minack Theater . In her devotion to supporting the local culture, she gave the opportunity to perform to a multitude of young Cornish drama students, as well as professional actors from the area and from other parts of the British Isles.
With the passage of time and the rise in fame of the Minack Theater – today, more than 250,000 people attend an event during the year -, the agenda that it offers has diversified considerably, including concerts, musicals, operas and, occasionally, comedy monologues, aerial acrobatic shows, film screenings and even performances for children in the morning. And all this with the same aroma of local atmosphere. The main season of the Minack Theater takes place between Easter and the beginning of October , but they also offer some special events outside of those dates.
CLIFFS, BEACHES AND A SUBTROPICAL GARDEN
However, there does not need to be a performance for a visit to the Minack Theater to be a highly recommended activity. The narrow country roads that lead to this place, located just over 4 kilometers from the center of the town of Porthcurno , wind between expanses of green pastures and typical British country houses.
Reaching the cliffs where the Minack Theater is carved out, the ocean views make up for any trip . The waters here take on different shades of green and turquoise and tend to beat the stone foundations of the enormous cliffs that keep secrets of legends and shipwrecks from other times with a certain bravery.
Near Rowena Caden's former home a beautiful garden with subtropical species extends that can thrive and develop here thanks to the peculiar climate of the Cornish coast, which does not have the cold and humidity characteristic of England.
Minack's garden is a living tapestry of plants , woven through winding paths and rock walls, which decorates one of the cliff faces with striking colors. If you add to that the impressive picture of the ocean, the place exudes a perfect harmony between nature and art.
Minack Cliffs with Porthcurno Beach in the background
Some of those paths that descend between the rock, lead to the impressive and lonely beach of Porthcurno.
This English beach has won many awards, and when you visit, it's easy to see why. With a beautiful white sand, fine and soft , bathed by a sea that turns turquoise in the sun and high cliffs on both sides that provide shelter, is an oasis of stunning natural beauty.
The large beach, popular with families, has a creek flowing down one side, and Logan Rock, a famously massive 80-ton granite boulder, is less than half an hour's walk from the left end of the bay. . Also, the interesting Porthcurno Telegraph Museum - which tells the story of Cornwall's role in the pioneering days of global communications - is located just before you reach the main car park.
Rowena Caden walked this beach every day , feeling the sea breeze on her face as she retraced, with her prodigious memory, the words written by a maverick English author nearly five centuries ago.
Views of the subtropical garden and the theater with the cliffs in the background