William Kentridge, Hisham Matar, and Hanif Kureishi Join the Coronet Theatre Inside Out Series

William Kentridge opens the new season of The Coronet Inside Out, a free weekly series of unique artists' encounters for audiences online, specially created for London's Coronet Theatre during the Covid-19 closure.

Reflecting the theatre's wide-ranging internationalism and its focus on new work, each artist has conceived their project especially for The Coronet Inside Out series, giving the public a glimpse of the artistic life of this beautiful intimate theatre in London's Notting Hill Gate. Each programme is prefaced by a personal introduction from the artist.

Anda Winters, Artistic Director of the Coronet Theatre, said: "Artists from so many countries and creative directions have generously responded to the challenges we are facing as the whole of the public arts world has had to shut its doors. I thank them for these special contributions. I hope that these small online events will perhaps open new doors to the imagination."

From Wednesday 6 May - WILLIAM KENTRIDGE

Mayakovksy: The Tragedy

This film, with a personal introduction by William Kentridge, is a pared-down interpretation of the self-titled avant-garde verse drama by the Soviet playwright, poet, and actor Vladimir Mayakovsky, conceptualised and directed by William Kentridge and performed by Katlego Letsholonyana. The piece was made between November 2019 and March 2020 in the development of Season 7 of the programme for the Centre for the Less Good Idea, founded by William Kentridge in 2016 in Johannesburg with the aim of supporting experimental, collaborative and cross-disciplinary projects. The Centre was in the throes of finalising Season 7 to open to the public on 1 April. As a result of Covid-19 the Centre shifted focus in March to creating a series of six online programmes from the broader season. Speaking about the season, William Kentridge said: "The online programmes are borne out of necessity as well as consistent pursuit for incidental discovery, improvisation, and secondary or alternative modes of performance."

From Wednesday 13 May - HISHAM MATAR

A Month in Siena

A personal reading by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hisham Matar from his new book, A Month in Siena, a record of looking at paintings from the Sienese School, but also a meditation on loss, love, intimacy and art. In the words of Hisham Matar: "The Sienese School, which sits between the waning influence of the eastern church and before that fabulous activity which we call the Renaissance, was dramatically altered by the 1348 plague, the Black Death. The chapter I will read from, titled 'The Problem with Faith', looks at how that pandemic changed not only human society, but the imagination itself. Its traces can be perceived even today, perhaps more lucidly during these difficult days of Covid-19."

From Wednesday 20 May - HANIF KUREISHI

Writers Seminar

The film of a zoom seminar on the art of writing with Hanif Kureishi and a group of talented young writers. Perhaps best known for his Oscar nominated screenplay for the film, My Beautiful Laundrette, Kureishi went on to write a whole series of acclaimed screenplays including Sammy and Rosie Get Laid, London Kills Me, The Mother and Venus. His novel, The Buddha of Suburbia, was produced as an acclaimed four-part drama by the BBC.

Each event is available from 12 midday on the date listed. Access to The Coronet Inside Out is at The Coronet Theatre website thecoronettheatre.com.

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