Wildworks: Theatre in nature

Knitting together stories and memories that are personal, historical, and geographical, each Wildworks production offers you the chance to hear the stories that have been written into the land over the years – a unique way to soak up the culture of an area.

The story behind Wildworks

Wildworks has been coaxing stories from different landscapes and its people for nearly 20 years, during which they’ve created many site-specific experiences that bring light, laughter, and consideration to audiences all over the world.

Each performance is rooted deeply in nature and the history of a place, meaning no two shows are ever the same. Over the years, Wildworks has built plays around cliffs, harbours, and quarries to name a few, with each site informing the story they’ve wanted to tell. These unique locations provide a truly spectacular backdrop to the performances and can either make a scene perfectly intimate or wonderfully dramatic.

Having nature as a set dressing is a totally unique experience as you instantly become a part of the show. You can feel the sand beneath your feet, hear the waves crashing in the background, and feel the temperature drop and shadows cast as the sun slowly dips behind the horizon. Wildworks really does create an utterly immersive experience that will stay with you long after the metaphorical curtain closes.

Aside from incredible locations and inspiring sets, Wildworks weave many different forms of media into their productions to ensure every detail has a part to play. Puppetry, gardening, embroidery, and even sailing have featured in previous shows, helping to create an ever-evolving directory of plays.

Wildworks’ current show

Leading you to the waters’ edge, I AM KEVIN is a visually stunning play performed along the beach of Carlyon Bay in Cornwall. A promenade in nature, you’ll follow the cast as they journey through the sand, stopping at some of the most striking and unusual sets you’ve ever seen. Performed into dusk, the slow onset of night and rise of the moon adds an ethereal atmosphere to the performance, which perfectly knits with the fantastical setting of the play.

The play itself follows the story of a boy who is raised in isolation by his mother. One day, he wakes to find her gone and has to begin his journey into the world outside through the chaos of men, monsters, and gods.

Wildworks make full use of their sea-soaked setting, with driftwood props and sets alongside clever use of the rubble that was once The Coliseum, Cornwall’s premier music venue in the 80s. This intuitive use of landscape totally wraps you up in the story, aided further by an incredible score that follows you through the sand.

Make the most of the beach-side locale with some wild swimming before the show so you can watch the performance with salt in your hair and sand on your skin – an unforgettable moment you’ll want to experience again and again.

Combine your wild theatre experience with a dreamy bolthole in nature at one of our idyllic hideaways in Cornwall, from shepherd’s huts to cabins to horseboxes.

Images by Ian Kingsnorth