Theatre and Arts

Poster for Miracle Theatre

For 30 years Miracle Theatre has been touring the length and breadth of Cornwall, and further afield, with their memorable productions.

The company came about in 1979 when three friends decided to revisit the old Miracle Plays.

Bill Scott was one of those people who set up the theatre company which now tours throughout the UK.

Miracle Theatre celebrates its 30th anniversary this summer with a new adaptation of Moliere's 'Tartuffe'. Using a brand new translation and music by BragaTanga, Miracle applies its talent for satire, farce and physical theatre to Molière's sharpest comedy, which is as fresh and provoking today as when it was banned in 1664.

Miracle's Bill Scott

Orgon welcomes the righteous Tartuffe into his home and to prove that he is a devoted disciple, Orgon signs over everything he owns. His family smells a rat and sets out on a crazy and hilarious journey to rescue their inheritance and expose Tartuffe for the hypocritical villain he is.

The summer 2009 production will be touring from Monday 8 June until Monday 31 August. See the link at the bottom of this page for more information.

In an interview carried out with the BBC Cornwall webteam last summer, Bill Scott recalled how the company started:

"We fished around and found an old Victorian translation of 'The Ordinalia' and did just the first part, 'The Creation.

"We put together a one hour show which was full of laughs, and toured it around parks and gardens of Cornwall in a glorious summer, and that's how we began."

Since then Miracle Theatre has done an outdoor production every summer, and a national indoor tour.

Miracle have played The Minack

"If you're an outdoor company one thing you must try to never do is cancel," explains Bill. "We made it our policy to always perform if people turn up to watch. We've performed in all sorts of wind and rain conditions. Audiences seem to love it. They turn up with their macks and thermos flasks."

Many of the places Bill and his team visit are theatrical venues like The Minack. It's a big change from the early days of touring.

"When we were in a village hall once, the only way to get on to the stage was through the tea hatch in the kitchen," smiles Bill.

"The same hall had an electric meter that took 20 pence coins. It had to be filled up every 20 minutes during the shows!"