Culture this week with the biggest book fair in Luxembourg, plus we talk theatre with cast members. Walfer Bicherdeeg The Walferdange Book Fair has grown year on year, with an increasing English section. This year Black Fountain Press will be present with book launches, book signings, readings and general book-loving appreciation. Life - A Series of (Un)Eventful Events by Young Voices from Luxembourg is one such book, comprised of written works by winners and shortlisted authors of the Young Voices Writing Contest. Anne-Marie Reuter who runs Black Fountain Press tells us more. J.P. Gomez, winner of the 2022 National Literary Competition, will also showcase his book, The Idiot of St. Benedict and Other Stories; his first short story collection. Perhaps more famous for the satirical blog the Luxembourg Wurst, J.P. talks about his background, writing satire as a 'free and mostly harmless therapy'! He also describes writing as 'pure muscle memory'. Jessica Lentz Winner of the Young Voices Writing Contest 2023, Poetry Category, talks about her work through the female gaze. She uses women as a centre-point in her work to express both the existentialist and mundane aspects of our human experience. Jessica feels that creative expression, in all its forms, helps to glue people together in an ever-alienating, capitalistic society. Theatre Show - Mumm Séis In the week running up to Christmas, the Grand Théâtre will mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of Luxembourg’s most popular authors, Edmond de la Fontaine, commonly known as Dicks. His operetta work, Mumm Séis, is being reworked by Samuel Hamen and Jacques Schiltz. Samuel Hamen has written a modern story, it is being directed by Jacques Schiltz, with music by Ivan Boumans. Buy tickets here. Marie-Christiane Nishimwe, born in Rwanda and raised in Luxembourg, is a classically trained soprano tells us how it feels to return to the Luxembourg stage having performed all over Europe. Jules Werner, famous for so many other screen parts, will take on the form of the ghost! I particularly love the fact that he described himself as a 'Westend Wendy' in terms of his love of musical theatre! Subscribe to the Podcast and get in touch! Please subscribe to my podcast on Apple and Spotify. Tune in on Today Radio Saturdays at 11am, Sundays at noon and Tuesdays at 10am.