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INERTIACOLLECTIVE
DEVISING PERFORMANCE / LONDON

INTERNATIONAL PHYSICAL THEATRE COMPANY

INERTIA
COLLECTIVE

Bold, visceral physical theatre crafted in London.

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01 — WHY INERTIA

We make theatre from the body — then let the body change the story.

Inertia Collective is an international physical theatre company, led by Artistic Director Giovanni Cottinelli. We create devised, movement-led and non-verbal storytelling that explores human relationships, domestic spaces and psychological landscapes.

BODY
SPACE
IMPULSE
Rags performance scene
02 — THE FORCE

Inertia is the natural tendency of an object to remain as it is.

To break that cycle, an outside force is needed: a push, a pull, a moment of resistance.

WE WANT TO
BE THAT FORCE.

We create work that disrupts what has become familiar. We push stories into motion, pull at what lies beneath, and create friction where something needs to be confronted.

03 — OUR WORK
01

RAGS

A 50-minute physical theatre piece exploring the invisible walls of domestic life.

Rags performers seated at a dinner table RAGS / INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2025 / EAST15
Rags domestic set Rags performers in physical interaction Rags performers at the dinner table Rags performers in a domestic scene

Four siblings gather in their childhood home the night before their father's funeral. Old tensions and dynamics re-emerge at the dinner table, where unspoken grievances and fragile bonds surface under the weight of grief.

A fever dream pulls them into a shared subconscious realm — a place where they are confronted with love, memory and longing.

What happens when four siblings must face the death of their father — and, in doing so, face themselves?

Directed by Giovanni Cottinelli

Assistant Director Corali Torres

Creative Collaborator Sally Bi

RUNNING TIME / 50 MIN

CONFIGURATION / FLEXIBLE · BLACK BOX · FLAT FLOOR

SET / MINIMAL · PORTABLE

LOCATION / LONDON

04 — THE COLLECTIVE
Giovanni Cottinelli

GIOVANNI
COTTINELLI

FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Giovanni is the Artistic Director and founder of Inertia Collective. He was born in Italy, in a small village called Lovere, where he developed his passion for theatre and trained in Commedia dell'Arte and clowning. Later on he flew to London, where he trained at All-in Actors and East15 Acting School.

Shortly after graduating, he began to develop his own company and methodologies alongside his co-founder Corali Torres. His first show “Rags”, created in the UK, has an international ensemble and premiered as part of the (IF) International Festival 2025 at East15.

Corali Torres

CORALI
TORRES

FOUNDER & CREATIVE PRODUCER

Corali is the Creative Producer and co-founder of Inertia Collective. She was born in Lima, Peru where she discovered her passion for the performing arts. While in Lima she did various courses in acting and was part of the Formación Actoral of Diez Talentos, a peruvian acting school directed by Bruno Odar. She then moved to London to train at East15 Acting School where she met Giovanni and not only reaffirmed her passion for acting but discovered the world directing, writing and producing.

After graduating, she became the co-founder of Inertia Collective. She was the Assistant Director for “Rags”, while simultaneously being part of the cast as a performer.

05 — OUR MANIFESTO

We believe the human experience thrives within the dynamic duality of body and mind.

Our manifesto is not a statement of genre. It is a record of how we think, make and question the work.

01

BODY
AND BRAIN

We believe that the human experience thrives within the dynamic duality of body and mind. These are two profoundly different dimensions coexisting within each of us. They are not inherent enemies; rather, they shape our distinct personal identities.

The body anchors our physical presence in the exact present moment — it is the vessel through which we appear, exist, and communicate. Conversely, the mind is the realm of logic, reflection, and inner development.

Yet, we are witnessing a transition: spaces once grounded in physical reality are now dominated entirely by the intellect. We feel this fragmentation within ourselves daily. Thought precedes presence, and action is dictated solely by cerebral impulse.

Our social struggle is to reclaim expression through the body. We fight to regain a state of absolute presence and to communicate through a medium that is infinitely more complex, rich, and multifaceted than spoken word alone.

Our intent is not to focus solely on physical theater or movement, but to explore different creative languages while always keeping an eye on physical expression.

02

GENRE AS
A MEDIUM

Art is a very broad concept, offering millions of different possibilities for creation and expression. Usually, artists represent themselves through a specific genre. We believe this choice often stems from an artist's natural strength or proficiency in a specific style.

However, this personal voice shouldn't lock us into a single genre. Limiting oneself to one style feels like a bias — a creative trap that we frequently find ourselves battling against.

A genre is simply a medium to portray a story; it is the bridge between the director and the audience. Just like costumes, music, or lighting, the choice of genre exists purely to bring out a specific dimension of the narrative.

Therefore, the very first step for a theatre or filmmaker must be to ask themselves: Where does this story come from? Only by answering this can we choose the right genre to achieve maximum artistic expression.

Overcoming this limitation might be a matter of artistic maturity. It requires time, experience, and a relentless desire to discover something new every day — and that curiosity is exactly what we never want to lose.

03

THE EGO
IS OUR MUSE

We recognize the ego as a core pillar of the creative process. Whether we invite it or try to resist it, it is always there, and our task is learning to master it.

We treat the ego as a source. We look inward to find where our true desires and intentions begin, analyzing them with near-scientific clarity, only to pull them out and put them into the work.

The key to this process is detachment. Understanding the ego is essential, but separating yourself from the physical act of creation is just as fundamental.

Don't bring the raw struggle into the work; bring the architecture of the struggle. Build the structural framework of the conflict, and allow the actor and the mediums of the stage to give it emotional life.

Do not replay the exact same events or emotions. Distance yourself by changing the characters, shifting the dynamics, and altering the relationships. Each of us carries genuine humanity inside — never let the ego suppress it.

04

MEANING
& AESTHETICS

Meaning and aesthetics are not opposing forces — they work together. Too often, we see work that looks incredible on stage but leaves the core untouched. Aesthetics is a key language of our medium, but when it becomes just decoration, it empties the art.

This is not a turn away from visual beauty. We need striking visuals and compelling sequences to capture the audience's attention — it is how we pull them in. But beauty alone isn't enough. A piece cannot exist without a central impulse — a core truth we want to share.

This truth doesn't need to be forced or shoved in the audience's face. It can remain a quiet, internal compass for the artists. But it must be there. When a work is built on real intent, the audience senses it right away — it becomes palpable, unwritten, and undeniable.

06 — THE PRACTICE
BODY→IMPULSE→PLAY→SPACE→SOUND→STORY
Movement theatre rehearsal

We don't start with a script. We start with an impulse.

07 — PROGRAMMING / COLLABORATION

LET'S SET
SOMETHING IN MOTION.

GENERAL ENQUIRIES / FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING

infoinertiacollective@gmail.com

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

@inertia_collective ↗