★★★★

“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.

THE BELT at the Coronet Theatre

★★★★★

“an intoxicating dialogue between history and innovation”

The Coronet Theatre’s first-ever site-specific immersive event, The Belt, is an extraordinary fusion of dance, history, architecture and technology, led by South Korea’s renowned Ambiguous Dance Company. The experience unfolds in two distinct parts, guiding the audience from the dark depths of despair to the heights of imagination and innovation. Set in the Grade II listed, restored and reimagined Victorian Coronet Theatre in Notting Hill, this engaging performance fully uses both its hidden and public spaces.

Part 1 – Past: An Intimate Encounter with History

With no more than fifty audience members, divided into five groups, we are led on an atmospheric journey through the lesser-known spaces of the theatre. From the basement used as an air-raid shelter during World War II through backstage corridors and machine rooms and across its rooftop to the theatre’s distinctive cupola, this phase feels like a private expedition into the heart and soul of the building, mostly lit by candlelight.

Choreographed by Boram Kim and performed by seven dancers (Kyungmin Jang, Hak Lee, SeonHwa Park, SoJeong Im, DeokYong Kim, GyuEun Han and Jisoo Gong), five short dance works unfold in these intimate settings. Each room, transformed for this five-day residency, presents a different mood: unsettling (The Room of Struggle and Despair), joyful (The Room of Communication), playful (The Room of Creation), hypnotic (The Room of Precision) and transcendent (The Room of Identity). The music selection is equally diverse, from disco beats to Ravel’s Bolero and Michael Jackson’s Beat It.

The contrast between the restored Victorian architecture and the contemporary fusion of hip-hop, ballet and acrobatics is captivating. Ambiguous Dance Company’s blend of styles – from sharp, street-inspired movements to fluid, balletic gestures – creates an intoxicating dialogue between history and innovation. The dancers’ costumes, along with the music, set dressing, sound and lighting design, further enhance this dynamic interplay.

Part 2 – Future: A Visionary Spectacle of Technological Innovation

The second part of The Belt shifts to the theatre’s main stage, a liminal space where the past meets the future and where raw human physicality meets cutting-edge technology. Here, the full company, including choreographer Boram Kim, delivers a high-octane performance. While rooted in traditional movement, the choreography embraces a futuristic aesthetic, complemented by pulsating dance music and dynamic lighting. The dancers’ costumes, nodding to fetish wear and cyberpunk, feature a mix of leather, mesh and lace, with some dancers wearing face coverings that blur gender lines and challenge binaries.

The Theatre as a Living Museum

What makes The Belt truly special is how it integrates the Coronet Theatre itself as a central character in the performance. The building’s rich history, quirky aesthetic and architectural features are not merely backdrops; they are woven into the storytelling. As you move through the intimate spaces in Part 1 and experience the explosive action on the main stage in Part 2, you feel the presence of those who have walked these passageways over the past century, making The Belt a must-see for anyone interested in the intersection of dance, history and cultural innovation.

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

THE BELT at the Coronet Theatre

★★★★★

“an intoxicating dialogue between history and innovation”

THE BELT at the Coronet Theatre

Reviewed on 11th September 2024

by Ellen Cheshire

Photography courtesy Ambiguous Dance Company

Previously reviewed at this venue:

THE BELT

THE BELT