The Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies (FEATS) is back in Luxembourg for the eight time since the festival began in 1976 t.radvanyi/ New World Theatre Club Luxembourg

The Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies (FEATS) is back in Luxembourg for the eight time since the festival began in 1976 t.radvanyi/ New World Theatre Club Luxembourg

The New World Theatre Club Luxembourg will be hosting the 2022 edition of the annual English language theatre festival Feats taking place in the grand duchy for the eighth time in the festival’s history.

Feats has been a hit with theatre lovers since the first ever edition took place in The Hague back in 1976. Luxembourg will be playing host for another year having last hosted the event back in 2014 at the cultural centre Kinneksbond in Mamer.

The festival--which took a two-year break due to the pandemic--will once again welcome theatre groups and guests from several European cities, who will showcase their plays before a live audience to mark the annual pan-European celebration of amateur English-speaking theatre.

Changing Times

The format for this year’s festival has taken on some new features. A thrust stage on the same level as the audience--to foster a closer connection with the performers--is an intriguing addition that will spice up this year’s performances.  

An overarching theme, Changing Times, was also introduced for the first time this year to serve as an inspiration for performers, although theatre groups are allowed to deviate from the theme based on their preferences.

Another feature that will mark this year’s event will be the introduction of expert evaluations and feedback at the end of each evening’s performance to drive creativity, rather than the competitive set-up that previously marked the festival. This way performers can focus on their art and continue to put the priority on producing quality work like they did in the past rather than on winning. For the audience, recognising and appreciating good performances will then remain the main focus, explains the festival’s director John Briggs.

Even though there won’t be winners this year, a group selected by the steering committee will represent this year’s cohort at the National Drama Festival in England, a festival also dedicated to amateur theatre.

I really believe in the festival itself, in the amazing creative and collaborative stimulation it enables and fosters.

John Brigg, - Feats festival director , New World Theatre Club Luxembourg

Performing theatre groups

For the 2022 edition, 12 participating theatre groups will be gracing the Feats 2022 stage. Three plays will be staged each evening by different groups. The performances will cover several genres from drama to tragic comedies, satires and more.

The performing groups this year coming from several corners of Europe include, AATG from The Hague, Anglophone Collaborative Theatre of Stuttgart (ACTS), Brussels Shakespeare Society (BSS), English Comedy Club (ECC) from Brussels, English Youth Theatre (EYT) from Brussels, Frankfurt English Speaking Theatre (FEST), HoM from Luxembourg, Homerostheater from The Hague, InPlayers from Amsterdam, Irish Theatre Group (ITG) from Brussels, Lucerne World Theatre Company (LWTC) and Th Hamburg Players.

A fringe programme has also been developed on the sidelines of this year’s activities.

Countdown: location, date and registration

Guests will be welcomed at the Mierscher Kulturhaus starting at 7pm each evening from Thursday 26 until Sunday 29 May. There will be a short 20-minute break between the plays.

Click for more information on the and . Registration for the fringe is free of charge however guests are required to book a ticket for the main programme.