Theatre

War Of The Worlds scoops Minack Trophy (news)

02nd October 2008

This year's Minack season ended just as the fine weather began. Weather plays an important part in every Minack season and the 2008 season was one of the wildest for many years.

Out of the 18 shows that made up the season from May 19 to September 21 only four escaped without getting wet at some point during their run, and there seemed to be a constant battle against stormy winds and crashing seas.

Ten performances were either cancelled or abandoned - the highest number on record. There may have been worse summers, but certainly not in the last 20 years.

However, both actors and audience put up stern resistance to the conditions and the season concluded with a magnificent weekend of weather for the now traditional end of season Proms.

As usual, there was something for everyone. Those who knew the book looked forward with keen interest to see how Life Of Pi could be dramatised and performed as a play.

Likewise, fans of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds album were amazed to think that they were going to get the chance to see a dramatised version on the Minack stage. How could an amateur company possibly cope with the challenge?

In the event, both Central School of Speech and Drama and The Hertfordshire Players produced wonderful shows that prove that anything is possible when it comes to Minack.

There were several contenders for the coveted Minack Trophy. The Comedy Of Errors, Life Of Pi, Under Milk Wood, The Merry Wives Of Windsor, Curiouser and Curiouser, Charley's Aunt, Gulliver's Travels and The War Of The Worlds all had that little extra 'something' which made them stand out.

The trophy has been awarded to The Hertfordshire Players for Jeff Wayne's Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds.

The pressure was truly on the company to match the expectation of the fans who had besieged the box office when the tickets went on sale back in May.

The principals of the company, the production team and every one of the performers fully deserve this award for bringing this spectacular event to the Minack stage.

There is no award for the best individual performance of the year, but if there was it would certainly go to Tom Wright - a young man who created a remarkable rapport with his audience with his portrayal of Pi in Central School's production of Life Of Pi.

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