Melissa Dalton welcomed guests whose work and initiatives highlight both the creativity and challenges shaping Luxembourg's cultural landscape.
Pushing for inclusive cultural spaces: Benny J Artist & Jess Bauldry
Luxembourg-based artist and disability-rights advocate Benny J joined producer and cultural organiser Jess Bauldry to discuss Petition 3786, which calls for concrete accessibility improvements in the country’s informal cultural venues. The petition, which remains open until 24 December 2025, aims to introduce practical, implementable solutions to ensure that independent groups, whether comedy collectives, grassroots theatre makers, or volunteer-run cultural organisations are not excluded simply because accessible spaces are nearly impossible to secure.
For Benny, who uses a wheelchair, the issue is deeply personal. While gaining mobility through his chair opened up his life in many ways, he explained that it simultaneously exposed the near-total lack of suitable cultural spaces for disabled artists and audiences in the city. "The energy I spend trying to find a place I can access is energy I don't get to put into creating into my artwork, poetry, or storytelling. It wears me down. I find myself thinking that maybe I should just give up… And that's the real impact: I'm being pushed away from doing what I love simply because I can't get through the door."
He added that laws may exist on paper, but implementation rarely includes meaningful consultation with disabled people. Ministries and officials often acknowledge a problem, but without offering solutions or action plans. This leads to a cultural landscape where disabled people are systemically left out.
Both Benny and Jess emphasised that sharing the petition with even one other person significantly helps widen awareness and build momentum for change. You can find out more and sign the petition here
Comedy, chaos, and community spirit: NWTC's Lend Me a Tenor
The show’s second interview featured Marina and Samuel, two actors from the New World Theatre Club (NWTC), who stopped by ahead of the company’s upcoming production of the classic farce Lend Me a Tenor.
The play opens on 27 November 2025 at Centre Culturel Cessange and promises a high-energy evening of 1930s chaos: a world-famous tenor who may (or may not) make it to the stage and a timid assistant tasked with saving the performance of a lifetime.The cast of eight actors auditioned over the summer and have since been rehearsing twice a week, a commitment Marina and Samuel described as substantial but hugely rewarding.
Founded in 1968, NWTC is one of Luxembourg's longest-standing English-language amateur theatre groups. Beyond its annual productions, the club runs workshops, play readings, youth theatre activities, and regularly takes part in FEATS, the Festival of Amateur English-Speaking Theatre. Last year, NWTC even walked away with two major wins for its production of Escurial: Best Presentation and Best Male Actor.
Tickets for Lend Me a Tenor are available via NWTC's website. Performances take place on 27, 28, 29 November (7.30pm), and 30 November (3pm). Tickets are priced at €21 for adults and €15 for students.
You can listen back to both interviews on RTL Play and catch The Melissa Dalton Show live every Saturday morning from 8am to 12pm online and on DAB+.
