While performing arts took a hit from the pandemic, quarantine has inspired plenty of new writing. Almost a year after the Luxembourg lockdown, a group of artists will bring their creations to the stage.
An intergenerational Zoom call, the shock of a loved one testing positive and the determination of a frontline worker, “The Coronavirus Chronicles” includes 14 short plays, sketches and monologues spanning the gamut of experiences in a country where people are notoriously private.
“Most of it occurred during the lockdown, that’s when I started writing,” Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Adams (pictured), an English teacher at the ISL who initiated the project, told Delano. She began writing after seeing a call for radio play submissions on the BBC. Remote teaching gave a her a little more time to write, and she soon had friends and colleagues contributing sketches and monologues or wrote texts inspired by what other people told her about their own experiences.
To have a broad representation, she actively sought out people, for example a student whose parent worked in the health sector.
“Some of it was the pathos and humour of families being locked up together and trying to get along. Some of it was tragic, people being people. Some of it was just the stories, trying to communicate via video messaging, and some was trying to get food and toilet paper,” she said, adding: “Everything from real tragedy to real humour. I think it was the variety that made them work together.”
Catch “The Coronavirus Chronicles” at Kinoler theatre in Kahler from 25-27 February 2021 at 7:30pm and at 2:30pm on 27 February. All proceeds from ticket sales go to the Covid-19 Foundation. Reserve your seats by emailing [email protected] Anyone who has already booked will receive priority booking for the new dates.
Photo: LaLa La Photo
