NOTE: I have never watched Coronation Street
OTHER NOTE: This was a development run, so I won’t be commenting on things that will obviously be changed
THIRD NOTE: This review will not contain spoilers

You ever hop into a beloved series 36 years in and immediately understand what’s going on? I didn’t until tonight.

Coro is the debut production of Mon Platon Productions, starring local legends Nina Hogg and Austin Harrison. A departure of the improv theatre scene where these two can normally be found, Coro is a fully scripted one hour binge-session of the UK’s longest-running soap opera. It serves an equal measure of parody and genuine earnestness, keeping the audience in giggling fits throughout the night.

The two performers pull triple-duty as the residents of the non-copyright infringing Coronotion Street, taking three characters each in flit between. Each character is denoted by a specific type of clothing that is launched at them by the audience whenever called upon. It’s a great bit of audience participation that scratches that theatrical itch that the real show could never replicate. Initially, Harrison and Hogg engage in two person scenes with one another, which does a great job at aligning all of the characters, and giving each of them space to breathe. Once we’re all comfortable, the combinations start shifting and resulting in a sort of controlled chaos where the performers are practically yelling at themselves via quick switches and efficient wardrobe changes. It never feels too messy, but it’s consistently impressive.

There’s a definitive joy that the performers seem to be consistently experiencing on-stage, and that energy is so contagious. While one performer struggles with a costume change, the other is already starting the next scene, covering for them and making sure there’s no dead air time. They both recognise that the audience is aware that there’s only two of them on-stage and start throwing jumpers across their chests instead of going through the arduous task of putting them on and taking them off. There’s a nudge and a wink in there, to remind us that they know they’ve taken on a lot and the compromise is hilarious.

For the fans of the show, I unfortunately don’t know what to tell you. I’ve never seen the TV show, but if this is an accurate representation of its vibe, I’m about to pirate all 11,550 of these episodes and re-emerge some time in December for the Christmas special of Coro that I dearly hope these two put on. I cannot speak to its authenticity, only its unique language and insistence that those familiar with the source material have a lot to draw from it.

But honestly, it doesn’t need it. At the true heart of this parody is a legitimately competent family drama. Sure, there are no world-ending stakes; the only allusion to any sort of tangible conflict is a train that narratively removes half the village, but the drama is slice-of-life at its best. The characters all feel like real people with real problems and the skill on display from Hogg and Harrison makes sure we’re never confused as to who’s who. The accents, the costumes, the postures. Everything lines up to provide a thrilling evening of entertainment so mundane that you feel like you’re at home with a hot tea and the telly on.

Coro is the perfect cozy night out. It’s a show that has your howling with laughter for all the right reasons. Sometimes it’s a bald cap being launched into Harrison‘s face. Other times it’s Hogg frantically doing up her dress. And most of the time, it’s just really well written dramedy that hits the perfect balance between wit and absurdity. It’s comfort theatre at its funniest, and I can’t wait to see how it evolves throughout its development.

*YouTubes the Coronation Street Theme Song*

Holy shit, it actually sounds like that.

Disclosure: As a somewhat active member of the Wellington performing arts community, I may be quite familiar with a number of the performers in this show. Having said that, I am not a liar, and there is zero bias in my reviews, shut up.

Also, tickets were provided to me for free by the production. Literally changes nothing, though.