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A Celebration of Cornish Folklore – Duffy Beats the Devil by Scary Little Girls
Scary Little Girls return to the Minack Theatre with their much-loved show, Duffy Beats the Devil. We headed down on a (very!) wet evening to immerse ourselves in this Cornish tale, told with buckets of fun and a feminist edge.
The show follows the eponymous Duffy as she tries to make her way in the world. She is big-hearted and strong-minded, supporting members of her Cornish community as she sets about making the world a fairer place. Duffy goes from a one-woman cider start-up to full-time employment for Squire Trewiggen at the big house. Sewing, it turns out, is not Duffy’s forte, and the Devil pops up to offer Duffy help. She makes the bargain but later calls upon the mystic Maggie Figgie to help her defeat the dastardly devil.
Duffy Beats the Devil brings together tales and fables gathered from across Cornwall. The story of Cherry of Zennor, to mythological sites like Men-An-Tol to the tradition of Allentide are all woven together to create a rich cultural mix that infuses the show with a deep-rooted sense of place.
If that all sounds a bit arch, rest assured the show is hilarious. We were laughing at the brilliant characterisation (we loved Joanna Murdock as Squire Trewiggen) and the audience participation. A special mention has to go to the animals, a snuffly badger, Guinevere the wise pig, and Meg, the scene-stealing, very well-behaved dog.
Duffy Beats the Devil is full of heart and cheer, keeping a wet audience smiling throughout the roughest of Minack weather.
Duffy Beats the Devil runs until 5th October at the Minack Theatre.
Photos: Lynn Batten.
