See in the New Year with Mamma Mia in Luxembourg

Hit musical Mamma Mia is coming to Luxembourg's Grand Théâtre for a 15-day run at the end of the year which spans New Year's Eve.

The timeless classic, which was inspired by the songs of Abba, will be performed in Luxembourg as part of the musical's international tour.

“Following on from the success of West Side Story, we're particularly proud to have Mamma Mia come to Luxembourg. The show has been seen by over 56 million people worldwide and has been performed in over 40 countries, now it's time for Luxembourg,” said incoming Grand Théâtre chief Tom Leick-Burns at the new season programme launch on Monday.

Mamma Mia is one of a handful of English-language shows being performed at the theatre from 2015 to 2016.

Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera The Pirates of Penzance directed by Mike Leigh will kick off the opera season in October for two days and in November, Annelies Van Parys' opera Private View will be performed in English for one night only. 

English-language theatre

The theatre programme is a veritable box of delights for English-speaking audiences with two Shakespeare plays a fitting tribute to mark the playwright's 450th anniversary.

Cheek by Jowl return for a three-night show of Winter's Tale in March 2016 and The Globe Theatre on Tour will present Hamlet for one night in March. 

The latter performance is part of the Globe to Globe project where the London-based theatre has set out to tour every country in the world over two years.

Elsewhere, Scrubs actor turned director/playwright Zach Braff's comedy All New People will be given a Luxembourg spin when it is directed by Luxembourger Anne Simon and performed by Isaac Bush, Larisa Faber, Jules Werner and Daron Yates in April at the Théâtre des Capucins.

And, on the subject of big names, JB Priestley's classic thriller An Inspector Calls will be shown for three nights in January 2016.

“English language theatre is becoming more and more important in Luxembourg as its audiences are becoming more international,” said Mr Leick-Burns.

Dance & hip hop

In addition to theatre and music, the Grand Théâtre will host a number of international dance companies over the coming season, including Shaun Parker and Company with Am I, from Australia, Hofesh Schechter Company's Barbarians and Wayne McGregor Company's Atomos.

Notably, it will also host three-day international hip hop dance festival Breakin' Convention.

“One exciting part of this festival is that we will collaborate with local hip hop artists. The theatre will come alive with all these artists, Breakin' Convention,” Mr Leick-Burns said.

Although the new theatre director presented the next season's programme, he will not officially succeed outgoing director Frank Feitler until June 1, 2015.

For more information on the new season's shows, visit www.theatres.lu

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