Cornwall

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/02/Peer-Gynt-A-Comedy-of-Terros-Miracle-Theatre-Cornwall-1000x667.jpg" alt="Peer Gynt A Comedy of Terros Miracle Theatre Cornwall" class="wp-image-39992" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/02/Peer-Gynt-A-Comedy-of-Terros-Miracle-Theatre-Cornwall-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/02/Peer-Gynt-A-Comedy-of-Terros-Miracle-Theatre-Cornwall-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/02/Peer-Gynt-A-Comedy-of-Terros-Miracle-Theatre-Cornwall-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/02/Peer-Gynt-A-Comedy-of-Terros-Miracle-Theatre-Cornwall.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Miracle Theatre Peer Gynt review</figcaption></figure>



<a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/miracle-theatre-cornwall/">Miracle Theatre</a> was born in 1979 with co-founder Bill Scott still involved as director forty years on and their latest summer tour got under way at Cornwall&#8217;s The Minack Theatre. Peer Gynt, loosely based on Ibsen’s epic comedy, is a famous morality tale. Journey through the dream-like world of Norse mythology, peopled with cranky characters, trolls and other bizarre creatures – a comedy of terrors! All in all, perfect material for Miracle Theatre’s highly visual style: physical, funny, surreal and deeply human.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB1-1000x667.jpg" alt="First Look: Miracle Theatre's Peer Gynt, Cornwall" class="wp-image-40983" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Peer Gynt</figcaption></figure>



With a cast of just four actors (two of which, Daniel Richards and Jowan Jacobs, my kids were thrilled to recognise from last year&#8217;s <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/arts-culture-things-to-do/miracle-theatre-review-twelfth-night-cornwall-south-west/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Twelfth Night</a>), a new contemporary setting and Ibsen&#8217;s original words given a glow up in places you soon forget this is a play first written in 1867. In fact, even if you don&#8217;t think you know anything about it, you&#8217;ll recognise some of the themes and references, including Homer&#8217;s Odyssey and various Shakespearean mentions. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB3-1000x667.jpg" alt="First Look: Miracle Theatre's Peer Gynt, Cornwall" class="wp-image-40984" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB3.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
Young Peer is a lazy dreamer, who misinterprets Shakespeare’s advice “To thine own self be true” to mean “Look after number one”! He chases after riches and pleasure and lives a life of moral failure and endless excuses.



Surely, he will come to no good?
</blockquote>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB4-1000x667.jpg" alt="First Look: Miracle Theatre's Peer Gynt, Cornwall" class="wp-image-40986" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB4-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB4-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB4.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



And what a delight it was to watch. My kids found the plot easy to follow and they enjoyed the physical &#8211; and facial &#8211; comedy, although my 10 year old was a little embarrassed by some of the more adult jokes, and he also struggled a little with the idea that there could be a main character who wasn&#8217;t a hero.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="530" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-1.png" alt="Miracle Theatre's Peer Gynt, Cornwall" class="wp-image-40994" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-1.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-1-768x509.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>



We thought that the actors did a great job, both in delivering their lines and conveying physical comedy. Perhaps it was the subject matter, or the stripped back set, but it wasn&#8217;t quite as colourful a performance as I was expecting, but that didn&#8217;t detract from the enjoyment. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="530" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-4.png" alt="Miracle Theatre's Peer Gynt, Cornwall" class="wp-image-40998" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-4.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-4-768x509.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>



As is typical of Miracle&#8217;s staging, the cast recreated the space around them to create movement and characters, this time round the various boxes piled up were cleverly used in all manner of ways including coffins, doorways and prop boxes.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB2-1000x667.jpg" alt="First Look: Miracle Theatre's Peer Gynt, Cornwall" class="wp-image-40985" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-RB2.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



The costumes were lots of fun if perhaps a little less flamboyant than last year&#8217;s swimming pool themed and yellow-stockings and chefs trousers. With each actor taking on multiple roles (Jowan alone clocked up an impressive 11 changes) they had to deliver both on a comedy level, as well as signpost who is who. A special nod must of course go to the trolls which were fabulous &#8211; and as a side note, I think their rendition of King Lear was my favourite scene.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="530" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-3.png" alt="Miracle Theatre's Peer Gynt, Cornwall" class="wp-image-40995" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-3.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-3-768x509.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict-nbsp">THE MUDDY VERDICT&nbsp;</h2>



At The Minack, even just getting ready to watch is part of the performance. You don’t know where you might end up seated and every bit of this amazing theatre is slightly different and a real joy with the sea and seabirds beyond adding visually to the scene as the light slowly dropped. Performance wise, Miracle Theatre delivered an excellent production of Peer Gynt; funny, well cast and a fantastic evening&#8217;s entertainment. 



Good for: A real family crowd pleaser. A great, contemporary, introduction to live-performance that everyone, from your kids to your Granny will enjoy, and good to get to see a different playwright, with references to Shakespeare rather than a full on performance.



Not for:&nbsp;Miracle Theatre doesn&#8217;t take itself too seriously, which is great, but their approach might be noticeable if you&#8217;re super familiar with the play. That said, I would guess most audience members won&#8217;t notice and after all, for outdoor theatre economy of time is usually better! 



Peer Gynt is at The Minack until 11 June 2026, performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets from £10, u15s half price. The performance then tours the south-west coming to open air venues across Cornwall, Devon &amp; Dorset &#8211; check out the <a href="https://miracletheatre.co.uk/tour-dates/?show_id=20932" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">full list of venues &amp; dates here</a>.



Show lasts just over 2 hours including a 20-min interval



Sidenote:&nbsp;The Minack Theatre is also one of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.minack.com/visit-us/minack-theatre-garden" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornwall’s Great Gardens</a>. It is a beautiful subtropical cliffside paradise full of succulents and palms. Access the beach sandy beach at Porthcurno down the very steep steps to the side of the garden. You’ll also find&nbsp;<a href="https://pkporthcurno.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PK Porthcurno</a>, the museum of global communications down in the valley. Porthcurno is where the very first undersea telegraph cable came ashore in 1870.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/04/Minack-April-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-RB-imageIMG_8142-1000x667.jpg" alt="Minack theatre Cornwall" class="wp-image-36676" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/04/Minack-April-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-RB-imageIMG_8142-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/04/Minack-April-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-RB-imageIMG_8142-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/04/Minack-April-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-RB-imageIMG_8142-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/04/Minack-April-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-RB-imageIMG_8142.jpg 1499w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-muddy-tips-for-a-visit-to-the-minack">MUDDY TIPS FOR A VISIT TO THE MINACK</h2>



The seats are stone and concrete, carved into the cliff, and vary in size and height. You may get lucky and be at the front (book section A), or in one of the little balcony boxes. For the grass stepped seats behind book section B. Whichever you book, bring a (waterproof) cushion to sit on! 



The theatre acts as a sun trap so you may want a hat if you opt for a matinee. You’ll probably want a blanket even in the June sunshine, or a coat. For an evening performance, wrap up warm as it can get a little chilly. Performances go ahead even when it rains, so a waterproof coat is ideal. There are lots of steps, so pack away your stilettos for this one. 



Parking opens 90 minutes before the performance, and the theatre 60 minutes. Bring your own picnic for the wait, which is worth it for the best seats, and wine for during (they don&#8217;t serve alcohol so BYO)!



<a href="https://www.minack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Minack Theatre</a>, Porthcurno, Penzance, Cornwall, TR19 6JU



Images by Muddy Cornwall and from Miracle Theatre



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="530" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-2.png" alt="Miracle Theatre's Peer Gynt, Cornwall" class="wp-image-40997" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-2.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/06/Miracle-Theatre-Peer-Gynt-cast-photos-2-768x509.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>

First Look: Miracle Theatre’s Peer Gynt, Cornwall

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