Cornish theatre company, Carnon Downs Drama Group, are taking Twelfth Night to The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, at the end of May.

The group last performed at The Minack with Henry IV in 2018, and have been invited to return for the past two years, but the pandemic sadly put a stop to these plans.

The amateur dramatic group stands out as one of only two Cornish theatre companies presenting external work at The Minack in this year’s schedule.

Rehearsals are taking place for Twelth Night

Rehearsals are taking place for Twelth Night

Twelfth Night is set to celebrate all things Cornish, with John Frankland directing a modern retelling of the classic Shakespeare tale. Alongside the excitement and danger of falling in love and mistaken identity, there will be an infectious element of fun seen as a never-ending party where pranks and jokes can sometimes spiral out of control.

With more than a few pasties, some Cornish tartan and a live band performing traditional Kernow folk, the group aim to bring some Cornish back to the most unique stage in the country.

Some cast members of Twelfth Night, and Carnon Downs Drama Group, have also been representing Cornwall as part of Shakespeare Nation in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Rehearsals are taking place for Twelth Night

Rehearsals are taking place for Twelth Night

They are playing the parts of working people in Henry VI: Rebellion alongside the professional cast, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon, recently awarded five stars by The Guardian.

This is the first time the play has been performed with a cast of 74 characters. Other cast members recently performed at the Hall For Cornwall an RSC regional theatre partner, in their Community Theatre piece The Comedy of Errors.

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The group was founded in Carnon Downs in 1970 by Geoff Avers, though over the years outgrew this space, moving to Perranwell Village Hall in 1990.

Rehearsals are taking place for Twelth Night

Rehearsals are taking place for Twelth Night

They recently celebrated their 50th anniversary, albeit in lockdown, with a One Act Play competition. After receiving almost 300 entries from all over the world, the winning piece Two Point Oh! by Jeff Dunn was performed by a cast at the end of 2021.