The 

Minack Theatre
Overlooking the sea at Porthcurno, Cornwall,
Minack Theatre is an open-air theatre designed and
built by Rowena Cade.
A keen enthusiast for Shakespearean theatre, Cade
offered up her garden as a performance site in 1932,
and together with her gardener built a rough terrace
and seating to create a venue.

Rowena Cade
(1893–1983)
«The Minack’s ‘master builder’»
At the beginning, granite was cut by hand and
stones were inched into place. The terraces
were constructed from earth, stones and
pebbles on a slope above a sheer drop into the
ocean.
 Rowena Cade at work

Rowena Cade working on the dressing rooms in the Rowena constructing pillars in 1970s
1950s
T H E F I R S T P E R F O R M A N C E H E L D I N T H E T H E AT R E WA S " T H E T E M P E S T " I N 1 9 3 2 . T H E S TA G E
WA S L I T M A I N LY B Y B AT T E R I E S A N D C A R H E A D L I G H T S . A S T H E M O O N S H O N E A C R O S S T H E
WAT E R B E L O W, T H E M I N A C K T H E AT R E C A M E M A G I C A L LY A L I V E F O R T H E F I R S T T I M E .

The Tempest 1932

In 1944 the Minack was chosen as a location in “Love Story", A film starring Stewart Granger and
Margaret Lockwood. The film featured “Cornish Rhapsody", which became a popular piano recording.
 Now this theatre has developed
into a world-famous venue for
good amateur theatrical groups.
As players in such groups, many of
today's stars have appeared on this
open air stage.
The summer season of plays, musicals and operettas runs for seventeen weeks from May to September each
summer. The great works of Shakespeare are still performed and accompanied by live music in this beautiful
setting. The operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan are performed regularly, especially the most popular "Pirates of
Penzance".
In 1976, Rowena Cade donated the Minack Theatre to a charitable trust which now administers it.
 The best time to visit the Minack Theatre will always be
on a lovely summer evening, when the moon is shining on
the sea and the lights of an occasional fishing vessel can
be seen as it makes its way into harbour.

No matter whether the play is Shakespeare, Arthurian

legend or a musical, there is an undeniable magic here.
Thank You For Your Attention!