The Real Cornish Online Magazine - Cornish Story

CreativeGwav Winter 2010Gwav Winter 2010Creativecriticism. The Theatre of Cornwall Space, Place,Performance, proves not only invaluable to thoseconducting academic research but also entertainingand highly informative for any individual with aninterest in Cornish history and performance.Kent’s role as director of the BishBashBosh theatrecompany allows him to write authoritativelyregarding the health of contemporary theatre inCornwall. The relocation of Dartington College ofArts and the subsequent £19m construction of apurpose-built performance centre at CombinedUniversities in Cornwall (CUC) Tremoughcampus give Kent “hope” of continued culturaldevelopment. The writer is critical of the Hall forCornwall for apparently neglecting its original aimsand objectives, before urging more rapid progress inthe pursuit of a Cornish National Theatre.Kent turns his attention to modern day apathy,citing the violent clash of one of the oldest acts ofartistic expression with the trappings of modern daytechnology. “Perhaps there would be even moretheatre in Cornwall if more people could be draggedout of their living rooms and away from theircomputer screens to see it,” writes Kent.It is a point bluntly made; one that heightens theimportance of this, a book of such magnitudethat Kent has successfully delivered. The Theatreof Cornwall: Space, Place, Performance, not onlypossesses great historical importance but alsocontains warnings as to the dangers of culturalcomplacency. The current strength of Cornishidentity, as so excellently demonstrated by Kent andthe wonderful musical performances at the book’slaunch, is built on a solid historical foundation, yetwithout continued interest, education, passion,and investment there remains the danger that TheTheatre of Cornwall: Space, Place, Performancemay well read in the future as a well documentedobituary of theatre and performance in Cornwall.Dr. Alan M. Kent’s The Theatre of Cornwall: Space,Place, Performance - published by Redcliffe Press.ISBN – 978-1904537991Culm Valley Publishing’s flagship ADozen Dramatic Walks series willbe adding a Cornish title to its listduring 2011. A Dozen DramaticWalks in Cornwall takes the reader onoutstanding walks where the dramaand beauty encountered in earlier WestCountry titles is now brought closer tohome.40 Cornish Story MagazineCornish Story Magazine 41