About Us
In the distant past: ‘For me the whole thing started when Peter Davis, who, as well as his job as a translator, taught English at the European Parliament, wanted to celebrate with his class Shakespeare's quatercentenary on 23 April 1964 by recording the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet with me as Juliet. No matter that I was six months pregnant; in those days recording meant audio-cassette. Who'd heard of video? My Romeo was Martin Vasey, another translator, who had acted in OUDS, (Oxford University Dramatic Society) which pretty well overawed me, but I loved working on the project. The play was shown at what is now the Capucins, but was then, very old-style with its worn plush seats and frayed carpeting, the only theatre in Luxembourg - but what an atmosphere! It was immensely exciting for us all: none of us having ever been on stage before and now to be acting in a real live theatre was a tremendous thrill. Thank goodness we had some Luxembourgers for our public relations and publicity. I see from the first programme that I also was down as Publicity, but in my case that was just helping to put up posters; others saw that the press knew about us and we had reporters and cameramen from the Républicain Lorrain, France Journal, and the good old Luxembourger Wort, no less, all raving about us. I hope it wasn't, as was said about women preachers by Dr Johnson, that it was not expected to be done well, like a dog walking on its hind legs, but surprised to find it done at all. At any rate, we had much acclaim and were inspired to go on to do more and more, and are still thriving more than 30 years later - and long may we continue!
Back row, L to R: Graham Fairfax Jones, Liz Thomas, Tim Thomas, Pierre Dillenberg, John Sims, Charles Munchen
Front row, L to R: Hilary Guerra, Martin Crosbie, Daffie Chappell, Irene Lowy, Elizabeth Muller, Ann Overstall, Josy Greisen
Irene Lowy appeared in the NWTC’s first play in 1968. Here, she remembers how it all began:
Thus I was very interested when Peter was further encouraged, albeit four years later, to put on a full-length play:"Our Town" by Thornton Wilder. There weren't many English people here at the time, but as long as they were English speaking, many of Peter's colleagues and friends were inveigled (or should I say 'charmed'?) into performance or helping backstage. It's fairly commonplace now, but then it was somewhat unusual to have in one production Luxembourgish, English, American, German and Dutch members of cast and crew.