★★★★

“A unique and refreshing angle on the role of movement in theatre”

I first saw the work of the Italian company Teatro dei Gordi at the Coronet Theatre two years ago and I knew right away that this is an extraordinary team of creatives that have a lot to offer to the world of physical theatre and theatre in general. After watching Pandora, I was certain that my first instinct couldn’t have be more accurate. Using a public toilet as a backdrop, they bring to us a set of stories comprised of movement, music, collaboration, multirolling and masks.

With physicality as the main device, the narratives that unfold onstage express everything and anything that life can be: funny, tragic, absurd, scary, wholesome. The circumstances get more and more ridiculous, but a beautiful connection of familiarity is built with the audience. We start off with a germaphobe who struggles to navigate the inevitable nastiness of a public toilet. Characters come and go, some chirpy, some rushing, some trying to fix their problems and some helping out others. One minute you see a trainee chef whose dreams literally go down the toilet, the next an incredibly graceful stilt walker waltzes in. It’s a fascinating frenzy of the unexpected.

The company consists of six performers, Claudia Caldarano, Cecilia Campani, Giovanni Longhin, Andrea Panigatti, Sandro Pivotti and Mateo Vitanza. All of them involved in the creation of Pandora and all of them bringing to the table a distinctive set of skills and unique comedic manners. They work together under the direction of Riccardo Pippa, enhancing the natural physicality we see and perform every day ourselves, without the necessity of overly elaborate stunts or tricks.

There isn’t a continuous plot, but a set of individual stories that sort of merge into one another with different characters commanding the stage. The individual stories are intriguing, saying a lot in a short period of time and with minimal, or none at all, use of language. However, it’d be more fascinating to see a potential connection, or a constant, to bring them together, like in the company’s previous show, Sulla Morte Senza Esagerare. Still, the first story returns in the end, providing a hilarious closing to a wonderful and uplifting piece of performance.

The set, designed by Anna Maddalena Cingi, is a realistic and very detailed public bathroom, where every piece of toilet paper, sink, urinal and stall is used in a manner of genius resourcefulness. In the beginning of the show, everything is neat and clean and by the end, the human touch has created a vibrant space of mayhem.

The colourfully lit background gives an artistic and playful touch to the stage, while also providing a sense of time passing and tone changing. The actors are mostly lit with realistic tones, which contrast, light design by Paolo Casati, works perfectly, as it creates an element of realism amongst the absurdity of the stories.

Pandora is a masterclass on physical theatre, a unique and refreshing angle on the role of movement in theatre. Pandora’s box has been opened and will keep drawing us in to see what else the Italian company have to mesmerise us with.

ANTIGONE [ON STRIKE]

Park Theatre

★★★★★

“a magnificent tale of what it is to be human”

Antigone [On Strike] is a most intriguing, interactive show where you get to vote by responding to questions related to the show and its subject matter, like a creative poll full of suspense and challenging arguments. Through a series of student workshops in East London, writer and director Alexander Raptotasios brings us a tragic story of two Muslim sisters that have been treated with prejudice and hate, indicating how human rights are so delicate and often overlooked for the ‘sake of the collective’s safety’.

A 14-year- old girl, Esmeh, left the UK to become part of the Islamic State in Syria. She now finds herself in a refugee camp, her UK citizenship revoked, her appeal to return to the UK rejected and with her baby seriously ill. She and her sister Antiya, who’s back in London, are desperate to bring her home, but no one listens or cares to help. So Antiya decides to go on a hunger strike, hoping to set things in motion and create change before it’s too late for Esmeh and her child.

The structure of the play mixes TV debates, news updates, social media posts and live streams, video calls (video content created by Vittoria Belli), personal interactions and public ones to create a piece that is electric. The similarities to Sophocle’s Antigone are there, a sibling that’s rejected by society, a powerful but insensitive leader, conflict between personal opinion and government rules to name a few, but they merely elevate a production that is more than capable to stand on its own two feet.

Spectacular acting from all the actors, who bring to flesh real people with complex intentions and different views. There is significant resonance in the father-son relationship between Home Secretary Creighton, played by Phil Cheadle, and Eammon, played by Ali Hadji-Heshmati, who disagrees with his father’s way of handling Esmeh’s case and decides to stay true to his own convictions, even if that means going against his father publicly. Esmeh, played by Hannah Khogali, doesn’t appear onstage, but we do see her on video, giving her own side of the story in a fragmentary way, a right that was taken away from her throughout her whole case. Sorcha Brooks is a wonderful host, talking to the audience, commenting on the answers we give and moving the plot forward. And the final speech of Antiya’s, played by Hiba Medina, about sacrifice and social change brings goosebumps by creating a shared moment of social consciousness and accountability.

Marco Turcich’s set comprises of a commanding white rectangular stage with an ancient Greek aesthetic, separating the auditorium into two sections, with audience on both sides. The actors walk around, jump and stand in different places, creating a balanced visual playfulness.

Anyone who’s even remotely compassionate about their fellow humans and interested in unpacking political and humanitarian issues, and that should be all of us, must watch this show. This production points out how important it is to be part of the conversation, through a magnificent tale of what it is to be human, especially during a time that the media play such a big role in every aspect of our lives.

PANDORA

The Coronet Theatre

★★★★

“A unique and refreshing angle on the role of movement in theatre”

PANDORA

The Coronet Theatre

Reviewed on 28th February 2025

by Stephanie Christodoulidou

Photography by Noemi Ardesi

Previously reviewed at this venue:

PANDORA

PANDORA

PANDORA

ANTIGONE [ON STRIKE]

Park Theatre

★★★★★

“a magnificent tale of what it is to be human”