Noble players

Acting is not for the faint hearted, whatever the circumstances, but it takes a particular brand of courage to don damp costumes and perform on the craggy hills of Cornwall – at times in the lashing rain. And it takes a fundamentally raw and big-chested commitment to stagecraft to keep the audience entertained despite challenging conditions. There have been numerous occasions where Miracle Theatre has battled with the elements: fog being so thick the edge of the stage disappears, worrying one of the actors may topple off and crack a rib, rain lashing down, gales so fierce that costumes have literality blown off, all leading them to be convinced that their regular two hundred strong audience will make a run for it at the interval! Even after over 30 years they continue to be amazed and constantly rewarded by pursuing their passion of producing work for audiences in extraordinary locations – surely there can be no higher testament to the quality of a show and of the actors, if the audience is prepared to sit out in freezing rain and fog and then shout ‘More!’ ‘More!’ at the end?

So are they noble players or are they plain crazy? Bill Scott, Artistic Director of Miracle Theatre explains: ‘I had always wanted to perform so I went to drama school and worked in a rep but it wasn’t until, one day on The Lizard, I saw Footsbarn perform to a capacity crowd stuffed into a tatty marquee. They weren’t dressed up posh and sitting in a theatre that felt more like a church. It was a fantastic and dynamic experience. It was so alive! And I thought, ‘I want to do that.’ The first show we ever did was the Ordinalia or the Miracle Plays – hence the name of the company.’

Regular Miracle actor Benjamin Dyson (in-between erecting the set before the night’s show) ponders on a theory that travelling players are either crazy or noble, laughs slightly hysterically and then firmly blames the audience: “We keep coming back for more because the audience keep coming back for more! Sometimes when I’m on stage and it’s raining stair-rods, I do think ‘why don’t you just go home!’?” He added: “there is something very real and intense about performing in outdoor locations. When the sun goes down and the entire focus is on the stage, that’s my favorite moment, that’s magical.” He also feels that Miracle is on a bit of a mission: “When I started acting, I hoped to perform to people who wouldn’t normally get the chance to see theatre. That’s an ambition we all share as part of the company.”

So despite the odd setback and, let’s face it, gruelling hours of daily get in’s after get outs (to around 50 venues per tour) the company’s commitment to going that extra mile is unwavering. Bill is convinced that live performance in rural areas has a strong and certain future. “It’s odd but the more digital technology provides us with screen based entertainment, the greater the need is for people to get out in the fresh air, share experiences and human stories together.” And, with over 20,000 people attending a Miracle production last year, he is obviously not alone in his thoughts!