Giants, Ghosts and a Great Escape

This Easter, the Minack Theatre invites you to step into a world of Cornish folklore, myth and true-life adventure with three very different productions.

The season opens with Giants, a Minack Theatre production and the perfect Easter treat for families. Storyteller John Brolly and composer and musician Ben Sutcliffe create a riotous reimagining of the legend of Cormoran, the terrible giant of St Michael’s Mount. All is not well in the small town of Marazion – in fact, there’s a very, very big problem. The village is in turmoil as they prepare to celebrate the mayor’s 50th anniversary and, to make matters worse, two huge giants have decided to move into the neighbourhood. What the villagers need is a hero and young Jack might just be the one – but can he really take on two giants single-handed? This lively family show is packed full of songs and fun and features members of the Minack Youth Theatre alongside professional actors. Giants runs from Friday 3 to Wednesday 16 April with performances at 4pm only and is suitable for everyone age five and above. 

As evening falls, the theatre takes a darker turn. On Tuesday 7 - Thursday 9 April, audiences aged ten and above can venture into Widdershins, an exciting and original piece of work written specifically for former Kneehigh actor Dave Mynne by renowned Cornish writer Carl Grose and directed by Olivier Award winner Simon Harvey. The show takes its name from an old Cornish nursery rhyme – “Three times round the circle and faerie-land begins; three times round the wrong way and call it widdershins!” – and the show lives up to its promise. Welcome to a long-forgotten village buried deep in a wild corner of Cornwall, where Bob Droll, local raconteur, folklore enthusiast and village-hall caretaker, will take you on a tour of a place where mystery lurks about every corner. You won’t believe the shocking tales of poor “Pity Me” Jose, the ghost of Treacle Straight bus stop or the Sea Captain who was afraid of death. But beware – the deeper Bob leads you into his forest of far-fetched fables, the more lost you might get. Expect stories told with a sting, poetry cracked and darkly comic, unforgettable characters alongside irreverence, wit and silliness. It will be dark, delirious and delightful. Widdershins… ’tis hard to find but even harder to leave’.

During the second week of the holidays, a real-life legend unfolds with Oh Mary, a powerful one-woman show devised, performed and produced by Bec Applebee, whose credits include work with Kneehigh Theatre, Wild Works, SLG, Golden Tree and Cousin Jacks. Mary Bryant’s true-life story is an unforgettable tale of courage and resilience. Against impossible odds, she leads one of maritime history’s most daring escapes – a tale of passion, bravery and survival. The show is an adventure through the senses, featuring unique specially commissioned tunes by Neil Davey and a traditional Cornish soundtrack recorded by Dalla and Radjel.

This one-woman tour de force has drawn acclaim from many quarters. Emma Rice, Artistic Director of the Emma Rice Company, described it as “pure storytelling” that is “moving and surprising and funny,” while reviewer Jenni Balow wrote of Bec Applebee: “Here is a remarkable actress who gives her all… we feel every emotion, hang on every word.”

Performances take place on Tuesday 14 – Thursday 6 April at 7pm.

From a family-friendly Cornish myth to darkly comic folklore and a gripping true story of survival, the Minack’s Easter programme offers audiences three very different reasons to visit this iconic clifftop theatre.