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A-LevelEnglish LanguageDirected writing9093/12 · Oct/Nov 2025 · Q125 Marks

Read the following text, which is an article about the unique outdoor Minack Theatre in Cornwall, UK. Minack Theatre - Complete Visitor Guide The Minack Open Air Theatre is in one of the most beautiful settings anywhere in the world, perched high on golden cliffs above the turquoise sea. The Minack Open Air Theatre has to be one of Cornwall's most unique and magical places. This Greek-inspired amphitheatre perches in a valley between craggy granite cliffs which rise steeply from the western edge of Porthcurno Beach. Rows of stone seats rise up from the little stage with balconies clinging to rocky outcrops. Blending almost seamlessly into the spectacular scenery that surrounds the theatre, you really don't need to come here for a performance to appreciate what a special place this is. On a clear day the view goes far beyond the turquoise waters of Porthcurno Bay and Pedn Vounder Beach, stretching all the way to the Lizard peninsula. If you are really lucky you may even get to see dolphins or basking sharks in the crystal clear waters off the Minack. It is impossible not to be blown away by this incredible place, even more so when you know that it was the vision and mostly the work of one woman, Rowena Cade. A history of the Minack Theatre The name Minack is taken from the Cornish word meynek which translates as stony or rocky place. This was the name of the house that the Cade family built on the clifftop for the grand sum of £100. Rowena and her mother had moved to Cornwall after the First World War, following which they were forced to sell their house in well-to-do Cheltenham. Whilst the Minack looks like it has been here forever it actually dates back less than a hundred years. A labour of love, Rowena commenced construction in 1929 when she was in her mid-thirties with the help of her 'quick, strong, courageous and tenacious' gardener, Billy Rawlings. They set to work moving granite slabs and clearing the heather and gorse that lined the valley. The Rowena Cade Exhibition tells the remarkable story of how a girl who had enjoyed a privileged upbringing built this world-famous theatre with her own hands. She worked every winter in all sorts of weather and was still a familiar sight with her wheelbarrow until she was well into her eighties. When she died, just before her ninetieth birthday, she left sketches suggesting how the Minack Theatre might be covered on rainy days. At the beginning, granite was cut by hand and stones were inched into place. The terraces were constructed from earth, stones and pebbles on a slope above a sheer drop into the ocean. The seats were added over subsequent years, and while they look like they are made of stone it is actually a mix of cement and sand from the beach below. There is, however, one granite seat in the Minack, and that has been dedicated to gardener and co-builder, Billy Rawlings, who died in 1966. If you look closer at the seats that rise steeply on the left-hand side of the theatre you will see they have all been engraved with the names and dates of the performances that took place earlier on in the Minack's lifetime. Much of the theatre is actually decorated with what look like celtic-inspired designs which Rowena etched using a screwdriver on the wet cement. The first performance (and Minack's raison d'être¹) held in the theatre was Shakespeare's The Tempest in 1932. The stage was lit mainly by batteries and car headlights. As the moon shone across the water below, the Minack Theatre came magically alive for the first time. In 1944 the Minack was chosen as a location in Love Story, a film starring Stewart Granger and Margaret Lockwood. The film featured 'Cornish Rhapsody', which became a popular piano recording. In 1976, Rowena Cade donated the Minack Theatre to the charitable trust which now administers it. Now, this theatre that began as a garden venue has developed into a world-famous venue for good amateur theatrical groups. As players in such groups, many of today's stars have appeared on this open-air stage. ¹ raison d'être: the most important reason for the existence of someone/something

  1. (a)You live in Cornwall. Your friend or family member is planning to spend some time in the area and has asked your advice on interesting places to visit. Write an email to them, suggesting a trip to the Minack Theatre. Use 150-200 words.[10]
  2. (b)Compare your email with the article, analysing form, structure and language.[15]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

  1. [10] Mark according to the levels of response marking criteria in Table A.
  2. [1] The comments below are illustrative and are not intended to be exhaustive. Candidates may make other valid comments that should be credited.
  3. [1] Responses might feature the following:
  4. [1] form, audience, purpose, style, conventions, language and structure will be appropriately adapted to suit the task
  5. [1] content might include personal references
  6. [1] advice about the different aspects of the site
  7. [1] tone may advise but could also be informative.
  8. [15] Mark according to the levels of response marking criteria in Table B.
  9. [1] The comments below are illustrative and are not intended to be exhaustive. Candidates may make other valid comments that should be credited.
  10. [1] Candidates may organise their response in any appropriate way. They are not required to focus on form, structure and language in separate sections.
  11. [1] Responses might compare and analyse the following:
  12. [1] Form
  13. [1] the typical text conventions used in the original article and the candidate's own email
  14. [1] the ways in which the different purposes affect the content and style of the two texts
  15. [1] the ways in which the article and the email appeal to the respective intended audiences, e.g. through the tone and register used in each text
  16. [1] any other relevant aspect of the form of the two texts.
  17. [1] Structure
  18. [1] the ways in which the headings and paragraphs or sections are used in the article
  19. [1] the way the article develops the subject
  20. [1] the way the article references different aspects such as the history of the site, past productions, the setting etc
  21. [1] the way that the article ends
  22. [1] any other relevant structural features in the text.
  23. [1] Language
  24. [1] factual details and the history of the site are mentioned: In 1976, Minack is taken from the Cornish word 'meynek', the stage was lit mainly by batteries and car headlight
  25. [1] descriptions of Rowena Cade and her investment in the site: enjoyed a privileged upbringing, built this world-famous theatre with her own hands, Rowena etched using a screwdriver on the wet cement
  26. [1] descriptions of the beauty, remoteness and uniqueness of the location: perched high on golden cliffs above the turquoise sea, crystal clear waters, between craggy granite cliffs, clinging to rocky outcrops
  27. [1] the use of superlatives to further impress the reader: most beautiful, most unique and magical
  28. [1] named places to add credibility to what seems an incredible place/site: Porthcurno Bay, Lizard peninsula, Pedn Vounder beach
  29. [1] the use of colloquial expressions: blown away by this incredible place
  30. [1] the use of lists: the qualities of the gardener Billy Rawlings – quick, strong, courageous and tenacious
  31. [1] the use of direct address to fully engage the reader and draw them in: If you look closer
  32. [1] the sense of isolation, remoteness and even danger suggested by the descriptions: a wind-lashed clifftop, the moon shone across the water below, on a slope above a sheer drop into the ocean
  33. [1] any other relevant language feature used in the text.

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About this question

Topic
Directed writing, A-Level English Language (syllabus 9093). Structured question, 25 marks.
Source
A-Level English Language, Oct/Nov 2025 Paper 1 Variant 2, question 1.

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