sugary cove

Six years on from the initial idea of forming a Theatre Company to present an open-air Shakesperean production, The Inn Theatre Company are not resting on their laurels.
Our aim has always been to bring live theatre to as many people in Dartmouth, the South Hams and Devon as is possible.

As we have said elsewhere, we are an amateur company with profoundly professional values and we are always seeking new and exciting ways to present live theatre and involve the community in this process; and we are currently embarking upon our most adventurous and exciting project yet! Below is the news story that has recently been released:

EXCITING NEW OPEN AIR THEATRE FOR DARTMOUTH

The Inn Theatre Company is hoping to establish an open-air theatre in Dartmouth, to operate throughout the summer months.

They have for the past five years organised the highly successful Dartmouth Shakespeare Week, and based on their experience, they believe there is a market for a more permanent open-air theatre. They are hoping that this will become a major tourist attraction for the South Hams, in a similar way to the Minack Theatre in Cornwall.

They have already had informal discussions with South Hams District Council, and a possible location has been identified. This is the picnic site above Sugary Cove, which is more or less a natural amphitheatre and flat ‘stage’ area.

The initial reaction of people who have seen the plans at SHDC is very favourable and the organisers have received a letter of support from the Council. It is now proposed to move on to the second phase of the project, which is the general consultation process.

The Inn Theatre Company has already put out feelers to the Tourist Information Centre and members of Dartmouth Town Council, purely on an informal basis. So far the response has been very encouraging, but they hope to widen this consultation so that everyone can have their say.

Only if there is general support and agreement from the town, will they move on to the third phase, which would be to prepare a business plan and do costings for the project.

The outline plan is to terrace the bank at the picnic site to provide seating for up to 500 people. The audience would thus look down on the actors and also be able to take in the spectacular view over the sea. The plan would also involve a special removable wooden stage to provide a suitable performance area for actors, musicians and dancers.

The day to day operation of the theatre would be run very closely on the Minack lines, where each week a different visiting company performs a play or musical event. Theatre companies from across the country perform at the Minack, and competition is fierce to have the privilege of performing there. The organisers therefore believe they will be providing an additional location for these companies in the beautiful setting of Dartmouth. The organisers also envisage the theatre to be used for educational purposes and would involve the whole community in an artistic project to compliment the Flavel. Together with the Flavel, the Music Festival, The Comedy Festival etc., Dartmouth could become a centre of excellence for the performing arts in the South Hams.

When the idea was first mooted, at an ad hoc meeting of the 'luvvies', all those present spent a moment looking from one to the other, quite surprised at our own boldness/courage/stupidity at even thinking that such a thing might be plausible, let alone possible and achievable. But nothing is ever accomplished without that first, sometimes daring, 'what if' moment. This was our 'what if' moment...in spades!
It's at moments such as these that a quiet, calming voice of reason usually speaks up and points out the flaws in such grandiose schemes. So we put this mad-cap notion to our voice of reason - and he, bless him, thought for a moment and said, 'Well, it could work...'

The possibilities for a scheme such as this are almost limitless and the benefits for everyone bordering on the same. But, as with anything of this nature, there are channels that have to be gone through, proceedures that need to be followed and, most importantly, everyone has to be consulted and their opinions garnered.
It cannot be entered into lightly but, as with everything that The Inn Theatre Company does, it will be entered into with enthusiasm, commitment and a belief that this can and, with the support of everyone, will be a success.

If you have come to this page to see what the plans for Sugary Cove are but have little idea as to what The Inn Theatre Company actually do and who they are, please, take a minute of two and have a look at the rest of this site: discover what drives us; see how we operate and, hopefully, realise that we are a Company that can make this exciting project work and be of benefit to all.

These pages are updated on a regular basis, so any developments, whether they concern the Cove or future productions, will be found here.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and we look forward to meeting you at one of our productions.

So, there you have it, from the horses mouth as it were! Needless to say, everyone at The Inn Theatre Company is utterly delighted - but under absolutely no illusions whatsoever that it is now that hard work actually begins!
We will be undertaking a visit to the Minack Theatre in Cornwall, as soon as this years Dartmouth Shakespeare Week production is over, to seek advice and ideas from the people who have run the Minack for years. And they, bless 'em, are only too happy to help, it seems!
Then we have to undertake a feasibility study and present that to all concerned. It may take a while, but we are determined to see the Open Air Theatre, and Dartmouth itself, become a centre of excellence for the performing arts.
It's all quite exciting, isn't it?