When worlds collide, magic can happen…
Hour Before Nightfall is fast-moving and entertaining stage play that’s touring venues in Cornwall and Devon in the autumn of 2026.
‘A really enjoyable and intriguing night out in the theatre.’
‘A surprisingly moving story. Recommended.’
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The play based on the intriguing true story of Frederick Densham, a mysterious living hermit who lived in the remote Bodmin Moor village of Warleggan from 1931 until his death in 1953.
Written about by Daphne du Maurier and others, the story is rooted in the landscape of Cornwall. Shortly after his arrival, Densham closed the Sunday School, surrounded the rectory with barbed wire, and installed a pack of dogs to keep strangers away. Within months, his parishioners had boycotted the church and eventually, he ended up preaching to a congregation of cards, each bearing the name of a former rector, propped up in the pews.
Part biography, part ghost story, part journey of discovery, Hour Before Nightfall is driven by the evolving relationship between its two contrasting characters: the eccentric Rev Densham, and a young American journalist from Life Magazine on her first European assignment.
The inaugural performance takes place on Friday 9 October in St Neot Church, 3 miles from where the play is set.
The tour takes in 9 venues and ends on 1 November.
VENUES AND DATES
St Neot Church
PL14 6NG
Friday 9 October, 7.30pm
Located 3 miles from where the story is set, the imposing 14th-century St Neot Church is the ideal host for the world premiere of the play.
Golant Village Hall (Carn to Cove) PL23 1LJ
Friday 16 October, 7.30pm
This handsome former reading room lies at the heart of the community on the westernbank of the River Fowey.
Barbican Theatre, Plymouth PL1 2NJ
Friday 30 October at 7.30pm
Located within Plymouth’s oldest historic district, the Barbican Theatre offers a lively programme of performance arts and community events.
Cygnet Theatre, Exeter EX2 4AZ
Saturday 10 October, 7.30pm
Cygnet Theatre is a lively independent arts centre and performance space situated close to Exeter Quay.
St Nicholas Priory, Exeter EX4 3BL
Wednesday 21 October 2 shows at 3pm and 7.30pm
Exeter’s oldest intact building plays host to two performances of Hour Before Nightfall in its atmospheric, first floor great hall.
Devoran Village Hall (Carn to Cove) TR3 6PW
Saturday 31 October at 7.30pm
This beautifully-renovated village hall stands in Quay Road at the southern edge of thecentre of Devoran village.
Ashburton Arts Centre TQ13 7DT
Thursday 15 October,
7.30 pm
This bustling music and performance venue is located in a former Methodist church in theheart of historic Ashburton.
Crackington Institute Village Hall (Carn to Cove) EX23 0JL
Saturday 24 October at 7.30pm
This substantial village hall serves as a much-valued community resource in the heart of Crackington Village.
VENUES AND DATES
