Thursday evening saw a farewell evening event for the British Ambassador to Luxembourg, Alice Walpole, who will shortly be taking up a new position on the African continent, at the new premises of Arendt & Medernach in Luxembourg-Kirchberg.
Ambassador Walpole addressed the 200-strong grouping of guests and reminded them of 2016 being the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare, with Luxembourg seeing productions of Hamlet and A Winter's Tale at the Grand Theatre, as well as a student's production at the Trifolion in Echternach. It was therefore very appropriate that she would select a series of pieces from Shakespeare's plays as the culture / entertainment part of the evening, with Ambassador Walpole introducing each piece herself.
A total of seven actors from Actors Rep recreated the scenes and orations selected, including from Richard II, Henry V, Hamlet, Othello, The Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing, Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer's Night Dream.
A five-piece brass ensemble (The Ni Ensemble) performed a series of musical interludes before, during and after the readings, with the sounds echoing those from Shakesperean times. A fitting tribute to a memorable stay in Luxembourg for a fine ambassador.
Photos by Geoff Thompson
