10TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR
S P R I N G 2 0 2 4 FRIENDS’
NEWSLETTER
WELCOME SPRING/SUMMER We’re thrilled to be launching our new member’s newsletter this year, which gives you access to exclusive, behind-the-scenes content from our artists, including never-before-seen rehearsal photos and interviews. Our quarterly newsletter will lift the curtain on what goes on before, during, and even after our daring, international performances, revealing the unique artistic practices that inspire and excite us. Whether you’re a new member or have been a part of the Coronet family throughout our decade-long life, there’ll be something for everyone this year at The Coronet. In 2024, The Coronet Theatre is celebrating 10 years in our home in the heart of Notting Hill. We’ve got many events planned throughout the year to mark this exciting milestone, so keep an eye out on our website! Throughout the year, we’ll also be tracing the rich and layered history of our fascinating Grade II listed building in our supporters’ newsletter, from the Victorian era to present day. 2023 was our biggest and best year to date. Before we look towards all the exciting events that 2024 holds in store, we’d like to take a moment to look back over the past year.
TO 2024
In 2023, we welcomed:
13000 audience members and exhibition visitors across
39 unique projects spanning dance, theatre, performance art, poetry, live music, mime and puppetry, coming from 15 different countries, including 12 UK premieres, and 3 world premieres None of this would have been possible without the support of our extended family. From the whole of The Coronet Theatre team, we’d like to thank you for championing our international mission over the past year!
Coming Up This Season ->
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Opening the season, we’re excited to be welcoming T.H.E Dance back to our theatre, the iconic Singaporean dance troupe that made their UK premiere at The Coronet in 2022 with the hugely successful PheNoumenon . Artistic Director Kuik Swee Boon spoke to us about returning to The Coronet for the UK Premiere of Rethinking Co-Existence : “This is the second time we have been invited to perform in the UK, and I feel a sense of happiness from the trust and recognition that comes with it. While I am excited, I am also contemplating how to communicate the significance of our triple bill amidst these challenging global circumstances. This is an aspect that I am particularly concerned about at the moment. As a contemporary dance company from Southeast Asia, especially Singapore, we are always striving to find our own positioning and identity. We hope to not only let the world see us, but to also embrace more progressiveness.
On this search, I am increasingly realising that identities extending from nationhood and ethnicity can be a double-edged sword that could hinder us from seeing our shared humanity. When we engage in cross-national and cross-cultural exchanges, it is crucial for us to reflect upon these potential hindrances. While it is important for each of us to embrace our own identities and take pride in our cultures, can we also transcend our differences to find a greater, shared identity as human beings? In the current climate, there is nothing more crucial than clear communication and meaningful interaction between us. It is through these exchanges that we can bridge gaps, foster understanding, and find common ground. Despite our differences, I hope that when we encounter each other' s unique perspectives, we can appreciate that we all share this one world.”
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
THEATRE
Japanese theatre company Chiten theatre will then take to our main stage for the first time, for the UK premiere of GOODBYE , based on the works of acclaimed Japanese author Osamu Dazai. Here’s what cast member Dai Ishida had to say about performing in London: “It will be our second time visiting London, after taking part in the Globe to Globe Festival in 2012. We are excited to come back to see how it has changed (and we have changed) since then. In 2012, we performed Shakespeare’s Coriolanus , and now we are bringing Osamu Dazai. You might be less familiar with him- he was part of the Buraiha, a school of post-WWII dissolute Japanese writers. We are really excited to present this work in London alongside Tokyoite rock band Kukangendai!” “Dazai’s final novel is totally relevant because we still haven’t resolved losing the war. In GOOD-BYE, traditional culture sits shoulder to shoulder with globalisation and Americanisation, reflecting the thought processes of contemporary Japan from the kimono to rock and roll.” – Motoi Miura, Director.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
GROUP
Later in March, immersive audio-visual pioneers Tacit Group will return to The Coronet Theatre for two special concerts on our main stage. Here’s what they had to say about their return to London: “London holds a special place in the world of modern art, and for Tacit Group, it' s even more significant. Since our last visit to Coronet Theatre, we' ve taken a bold step: opening our laptop screens to our audience, allowing them to see what we' re actually doing. This move sparked incredible curiosity among audiences, who were eager to participate in what we offered. It was truly inspiring. We named this initiative the ' Laptop Challenge' and even tried it once again in Jeju Island, Korea (as you can see in the video below). This year, we' re looking to take on an even braver challenge with you. Let’s meet again in front of Tacit Group’s laptops.”
INTRODUCING
CHENG-TSUNG FENG In April, artist Cheng Tsung Feng will headline the Taiwan Festival 2024's visual art programme with a major external commission on the facade our Grade II listed building. Cheng-Tsung has captivated audiences around the globe by using traditional Taiwanese material in an exciting and innovative way. His large-scale, site-specific installation, composed of Taiwanese bamboo fish traps, will inaugurate the festival’s programme as a whole, showcasing works which are both rooted in rich cultural history and forward-thinking in their expression. Cheng-Tsung Feng is an artist who deeply studies traditional craft culture. He learns the production of traditional handmade objects from old craftsmen from different regions, and spends a long time collecting and researching ancient oriental culture, creating art works in various forms and sizes based on this.
His works are not only beautiful, but also storytellers of traditional culture and handmade memories. He shares the gradually forgotten stories through his works, allowing these precious handmade memories to be passed down in modern times. He often incorporates modern technology into his works, constantly exploring new ways of creation, and always focuses on the quality and aesthetic of his works. He is an artist with rich value in handmade craftsmanship, full of development potential, imagination, and exploration spirit. He has been commissioned by Hermes, Cartier, Loewe, Bottega Veneta, The Balvenie, Apple, Aesop, Nike, The Ritz-Carlton, HBO, Kvadrat and other international brands to create commissioned artworks & projects. Here is a picture of the installation leaving Taiwan, beginning its journey to The Coronet Theatre!
THE HISTORY OF AN ICON PART 1
The Coronet, Notting Hill was originally designed as a theatre by W.G.R. Sprague, a designer of many of London’s West End theatres. It was built for the then grand sum of £25,000. The building started life as a Victorian playhouse, first opening its doors in 1898, and was regularly frequented by King Edward VII. Many of the biggest stars of the day trod its boards, including Ellen Terry and Sarah Bernhardt. Films first made an appearance as part of the variety bills at the theatre in 1916. The building became a full-time cinema in 1923 and operated as such continuously for the following 93 years, until 2014.
In 1923, when the building went over to full time films, it was renamed The Coronet Cinema. A new projection box was installed in the former dress circle bar and the capacity was reduced from its original 1,143 to 1,010.
The original theatre is plastered in Louis XVI manner and is still remarkably complete. A little faded these days, the auditorium still has the two original elliptically curved balconies. The box bays are framed by attenuated Corinthian columns with enriched lower shafts, set on lofty pedestals and carrying an entablature with segmental broken pediments.
The new owners upgraded the sound and doubled the price of a ticket to 1/- (5p). In 1950, the cinema was renamed The Gaumont and the gallery was closed, reducing the seating capacity to 515 (319 seats in the stalls and 196 in the dress circle).
Sound arrived in 1930 when a ticket would cost you 6d (about 2p). The cinema was taken over by Gaumont/Provincial Cinematography Theatres in 1931 when the theatre boxes were removed and the stage blocked off to house a screen under the proscenium arch, although the rest of the elaborate auditorium was retained.
Stay tuned for the following chapter of our rich history in the next newsletter....
EXCLUSIVE FRIENDS
LEMN
On the 22nd of February, we’ll be welcoming BAFTA-nominated, award-winning poet, writer and broadcaster Lemn Sissay OBE, who will read from his latest collection, ‘Let the Light Pour In’. For the past decade, Lemn Sissay has composed a short poem as dawn breaks each morning. ‘Let the Light Pour In’ is a collection of the best of these poems, and a book celebrating his morning practice. As the event is almost sold out, we’ve put aside 10 of our best seats exclusively to members, to ensure our Coronet family does not miss out on this special evening. If you would like to book these seats, please call Box Office on 020 3642 6606 , or email hello@thecoronettheatre.com before Tuesday the 6th of February. We hope to see you there!
SISSAY OFFER
We’re looking forward to welcoming you to our home in the heart of London this year! Spring/Summer 2024 promises to be an exciting season filled with fascinating theatre, dance, music and theatre from all over the world- not to mention London’s first major festival of Taiwanese arts in April. To check out what’s to come and avoid missing out on tickets, head to our website: https://www.thecoronettheatre.co m/whats-on/
MEMBERS’ TOURS We are delighted to be opening our doors for free guided tours of Notting Hill’s iconic theatre. The Coronet Theatre is a jewel to be discovered, combining a rich heritage with unique décor to create memorable experiences for our performers and our audiences. The Coronet Theatre started life in 1898, designed by WGR Sprague, architect of many of the West End’s most beautiful theatres. Edward VII often visited, Ellen Terry and Sarah Bernhardt trod its boards, and it was where John Gielgud saw his first Shakespeare play. In 1923 it became the much-loved Coronet Cinema, but was increasingly neglected until taken over by Founder & Artistic Director, Anda Winters, in 2014. As it is gradually restored, today the building combines grand architecture with an intimate and warm setting, featuring candlelit hallways, antique décor, stage props and the most beautiful theatre bar in London. The tour lasts 1 hour. Please call Box Office to book in.