Tributes poured into the Packet web-site this week following the death of Dominic Knutton, one of Cornish theatre's most popular and successful freelance directors.

Mr Knutton was found dead at his Penryn home on May 14 at the age of 36. He had been suffering from depression for some months.

When his death was announced last week, people from all over the world placed tributes on the Packet website.

Dominic touched the lives of very many people both within and beyond the borders of Cornwall during a theatre career that began in London in 1993.

About ten years ago he founded his own company, the Cornish Theatre Collective (CTC), which, through his ability to bring out the best in others, revitalised the cultural life of the county.

His major successes included helping to form and run the Ordinalia Company, which produced the Ordinalia---Cornish miracle plays originally written in the Cornish language---which were performed over four years as a community project in St Just in Penwith involving more than 200 people. He also produced the only English-language theatre adaptation of "The Alchemist" by the Brazilian best-seller, Paulo Coelho, which went on to complete five national tours; and the large-scale community play about Nelson which was performed at Trelissick in 2005 to mark the 200th anniversary of the death of Admiral Lord Nelson, news of which was first brought ashore in Falmouth.

Many of his works involved local Cornish history and issues presented through the medium of physical theatre, including Judas Worm (a story of tin miners), and the Bohelland tragedy in Penryn.

He also helped to found the Penryn Community Theatre.

His illness prevented him from directing his latest venture, Prince of the Burning Sun, an amazing true story from Cornwall which will be presented by CTC and Penryn Community Theatre at the Minack Theatre from June 25-29. Both the professional CTC actors and the local players from Penryn are determined to make the show live up to Dominic's expectations.

Dominic was born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in 1970 and moved to Cornwall in 1979 when his father, Mike Knutton, became chief reporter at the Falmouth Packet.

He attended junior school at Clare Terrace, received his secondary education at Falmouth School and higher education at Cornwall College, Camborne, and Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama where he graduated with a first-class BA Honours degree in theatre studies. He also trained at the School of Commedia Dell'arte in Italy.

Before he founded CTC, Dominic was involved in acting. He appeared with Michael York in the film, Shadow of a Kiss, which was originally made for French television, and he also featured in episodes of The Bill and Wycliffe on British television. He played several roles in productions at the Minack Theatre and other Cornish venues.

He has been director/workshop deviser for education-related projects at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, and director of the acting company at the Eden Project. He was also director for the acting parts of the TV documentary Lost In Egypt.

His lifelong friend and assistant director for a number of years, Jason Squibb, said: "He was a man of intense creative talent and energy. Dominic's directorial skill, wit, and sense of fun, his generosity and the great feeling of community spirit that he generated will be very much missed.

"Many of his friends and colleagues say he was the single most influential person in their lives and theatrical careers. Dom's enthusiasm for his art, and for bringing out the best in people have had a lasting influence on all who knew and worked with him."

The funeral will take place at St Gluvias Church, Penryn on Thursday, May 24, at 2pm, followed by cremation at Penmount Crematorium, Truro.

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