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WELCOME TO AUTUMN/WINTER 2024
Welcome to the third edition of our exclusive Friends' Newsletter, where we lift the curtain on what happens before, during, and even after our daring international performances Here, we reveal the unique artistic practices that inspire and excite us, giving you special access to behind-the-scenes content
As we continue through the latter half of our tenth anniversary year, we ’ re reflecting on what an incredible celebration of our decade-long history it has been We have many more events planned to mark this exciting milestone, and we ’ re set to continue into 2024 as we began with our most diverse, thrilling, and daring program to date
We’ve been hard at work preparing for a packed autumn/winter season, which includes coproductions, an array of international performances, and a site-specific project around the theatre
We hope you’ll join us for this ambitious season of multidisciplinary performances at ‘London’s home of international arts ’
STRANGER THAN THE MOON BERLINNER ENSEMBLE
SPOTLIGHT ARTIST
We were so excited to open the season by welcoming back the iconic Ambiguous Dance Company for The Coronet Theatre’s first ever immersive event
The Belt is an immersive journey from the industrial revolution to the technological revolution, guided by Korea’s leading dance company.
The event took audiences down the candlelit hallways of one of London’s most atmospheric theatres, where superb dancers inhabited hidden backstage areas, dressing rooms, attics and the glorious rooftop cupola Korea’s leading dance company combined hip-hop, ballet and acrobatics in playful, pulsating dance, bringing the energy of the new Korea to this stunningly restored icon of the Victorian era.
The Belt culminated in a brand-new high octane full-length piece on The Coronet’s main stage by a company whose CV included collaborations with Coldplay In this new piece, Ambiguous took inspiration from the UK’s trailblazing innovation at the time the theatre was built, from the perspective of the most vibrant, inventive and astounding new cultures in the modern world
Here’s what choreographer Boram Kim had to say about this unique event:
“The Belt aims to incorporate the historical essence of movement and space into the work. The Coronet Theatre has a long history, and although Ambiguous Dance Company’s history might be short, it is profound in its own way. This piece attempts to explore how those vastly different histories can merge in a shared space, and what future visions we can propose through this convergence.
Ultimately, what we want to convey to the audience is the idea that humans start and live with dance. There is dance within people, and it carries the deep history of humanity. I hope that the audience can feel this when they watch.”
Check out some exclusive rehearsal photos of Ambiguous preparing for The Belt in Korea on the next page!
“I BELIEVE THAT DANCE IS LIKE DRAWING WITH TIME”
Ambiguous Dance Company Artistic Director, Boram Kim
Part 2 of The Belt brought everyone together into the auditorium for an invigorating, bold performance. While Part 1 represented the past from the industrial revolution to the technical revolution, Part 2 focused the future Vivid, colourful lighting and high-energy music accompanied the energetic choreography that became almost rave-like
Club Rooms
The VIP Bar and former boiler room
I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again…but what The Coronet Theatre is doing feels new, relevant and exciting. Currently on show is The Belt - Past & Future by Korea's Ambiguous Dance Company. The work is The Coronet's first-ever site-specific event, and I think it's an absolute corker.
What extraordinary dancers, encapsulating the new Korea of now. And now is the notion I took away; The Belt - Past & Future feels very zeitgeist. Whatever that might mean to you.
BROADWAY WORLD
One of the foremost independent theatres in London, the Coronet Theatre supports groundbreaking, esoteric international performance This year it celebrates 10 glorious years under the guiding hand of artistic director Anda Winters It’s perhaps then the perfect moment to present a uniquely innovative work that thrillingly juxtaposes the continuity of heritage with an injection of futuristic vision, binding them tightly together with the very fabric of this building at the core
The Belt is an extraordinary two act piece, the first ever immersive show at this venue, built in 1898 and where age is tangible in its faded grandeur and classical plasterwork The show’s intention is to disclose connections, bringing past and present together
This is an astonishing, supercharged production that captures the essence of this already exceptional site in a spectacular performance that demands appreciation The traditional Coronet space and also its awed audience are reinvented by Ambiguous Dance’s futuristic vision of possibility, setting an upward trajectory for another ten years of outstanding achievement
EVERYTHING THEATRE
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.
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
THE SPY IN THE STALLS
THE WILD DUCK
The cast rehearsing in Bergen, Norway
As ‘London’s home of international arts’, The Coronet Theatre prides itself on bringing the best creatives and performers from all around the world to the heart of the U K ’ s multicultural capital Over the years, we have built relationships with world class companies, theatres and artists, some of which have then gone on to perform on our stage several times Such is the case with the Norwegian Ibsen Company, which takes Norwegian theatre talent and produces Ibsen’s work in both Norwegian and English, to create a theatrical bridge with the rest of the world and Ibsen’s homeland
In October, we were delighted to present Ibsen’s The Wild Duck, which marks our fourth collaboration with the Norwegian Ibsen Company, and our first with Den Nationale Scene, Bergen. In The Wild Duck, Ibsen envisions the deadly danger of idealism with the story of a family torn apart by secrets, and the intrusion of an outsider, whose idealistic mission is to reveal all in the name of truth and honesty. His gratuitous truth-telling has shocking consequences
Using Ibsen’s original text, this brand new staging, which is performed in Norwegian with English surtitles, has a cast of some of Norway’s most celebrated actors, and is directed by Hedda Award-winner Alan Lucien Øyen
“I feel like Ibsen has been a part of my life from childhood. Having grown up with art of the European tradition, Ibsen always had a prominent place. On my visits to Norway while we were producing a Jon Fosse play, I found the spectre of Ibsen looming large in my thoughts and have been keen to further explore his works ever since ”
-The Coronet Theatre Artistic Director, Anda Winters
“There’s something about hearing Ibsen’s lines spoken in his native tongue that lends them such music; you don’t need to be bilingual to enjoy the tune.”
(The Stage, When We Dead Awaken, 2022)
“When we catch ourselves in the mirror in the morning, we hold our stomach in. When we smile at each other through the window of social media, it’s a fake and filtered smile. We fictionalize and stage our lives for ourselves and one another but are we blind to the truth?”
(Alan Lucien Øyen, The Wild Duck Director)
Listen to Artistic Director of the Norwegian Ibsen Company -Kåre Conradi - discuss contemporary iterations of Ibsen’s characters on BBC Sounds, alongside theatre critic and writer Mark Lawson and presenter Anne McElvoy here.
In anticipation of our production of The Wild Duck, our director Alan Lucien Øyen took a trip to London at the end of August, for a site visit
Alan is one of the most exciting artists from Norway today, whose work as writer, director and choreographer has been highly acclaimed in his home country and abroad As the son of a dresser, Alan grew up constantly around Den Nationale Scene in Bergen, which we are also delighted to be collaborating with on The Wild Duck. Here he would watch theatre religiously from the age of 7. At the age of 17 he went on to study Ballet, before being accepted into the State School of Art in Oslo where he graduated as a dancer in 2001
Alan spent his first years as a dancer with The Norwegian National Contemporary dance company, Carte Blanche, and choreographed his first piece "excerpts of citation without context" in 2004
fish and chips at the theatre’s local pub, introducing international artists to the best of British
By 2006 he’d already established his own company, winter guests - a multidisciplinary company bringing together actors, dancers, writers, set designers and technicians, touring theatrical works in English for the international stage Since 2009 his plays for winter guests have been written and developed together with British playwright and director Andrew Wale
Whether it's theatre, dance or film, Alan's works have a highly emotional and dramatic drive. His choreographic language is complex and technically challenging. His works are informed by the world around him which allows him to draw inspiration from a myriad of sources including high art and popular culture as well as personal conversations and experiences - always in pursuit of a sincere and human expression
Sometimes a site visit means lying on stage, in order to properly get a feel of the space!
Enjoying
culture!
In 2004, the Theatre yet again had new owners who then closed the cinema for a short period, where the local community were worried that the landmark building would be converted into another real-estate development However, a week later The Coronet re-opened The new owners gave assurances that it would remain as a cinema, and that there were plans for a detailed restoration of the historic building
The building remained a cinema, and a centre for the church community at the weekend Screen two had its sound upgraded and both cinemas were given new screens and projection lenses.
10 years later, The Coronet was restored to its original purpose as a theatre (June 2014), when local theatre company The Print Room took over the building, under the artistic directorship of Anda Winters.
Originally only using the second screen space on the original stage (now the Print Room Studio), our company has developed an elevated stage in the old auditorium space, creating an intimate performance space with 195 seats in the original circle. The building required extensive repairs and restoration - from asbestos to electricity, heating and roof works.
OF AN ICON THE HISTORY PART 3
In May 2019, the building reverted to its original name – The Coronet Theatre– in recognition of the iconic status it has in Notting Hill
The ghost of a female cashier reputedly still haunts the building. Legend has it that when she was caught fiddling the box office receipts and confronted by the manager, she dashed out of his office, tripped and fell down a hidden spiral staircase.
Stay tuned for the following chapter of our rich history in the next newsletter....
Over the last two years, our Poetry Club series has proudly featured 25 masters of their craft, offering a rich tapestry of poetic expression that spans the globe. Poets from 12 different nationalities have graced our stage, bringing with them an array of styles that include everything from narrative historical verse to quotidian quatrains This diverse representation has allowed our audiences to experience a wide spectrum of poetic traditions and innovations
We’ve had the honour of presenting the work of some of the most acclaimed poets in the literary world
Among our distinguished guests were 5 T S Eliot Prize winners, whose works are recognised for their depth and brilliance; 11 Forward Prize winners, celebrated for their outstanding contributions to contemporary poetry; and 12 fellows of the Royal Society of Literature, esteemed for their lifelong dedication to the craft of writing
From 2022 to 2024, nearly 974 poetry enthusiasts attended our events, a testament to our series' growing popularity and cultural significance The strong turnout reflects a vibrant community of poetry lovers who are eager to engage with the art form and the talented poets who practice it
We are particularly proud of our commitment to accessibility Throughout the eleven years of our Poetry Club, we have ensured that our prices remain affordable, ranging from £12.80 to £20. This pricing is often half of what other arts institutions in the capital charge for similar poetry events, making it possible for a wider audience to enjoy high-quality literary experiences. Our dedication to keeping poetry accessible underscores our mission to foster a love for poetry and support the literary arts within our community.
Lemn Sissay Matthew Hollis
Daljit Nagra
Nick Laird
BEK HYUNJIN
THE OMNIDIRECTIONAL ARTIST
With the rise of the term “multi-hyphenate” in the arts, Korean artist Bek Hyunjin has a more expansive term--omnidirectional In November, Bek Hyunjin will create a captivating evening of dynamic performance that seamlessly blends music, art, and theater Known for his innovative approach and enigmatic style, Bek draws the audience into the rich depths of Korean lyrics and art With roots as the vocalist of the experimental pop-rock band "UhUhBoo Project," he has expanded his creative reach across various mediums, including painting, acting, and film His performance is a unique exploration of beauty, drama, and emotion, shaped by decades of boundary-pushing work that continues to inspire and mesmerize
"I am an artist first, a musician second In the case of actor, I only do it when an offer is made to someone "
