Supported projects

Poppespënnchen asbl

Pit Vinandy, President of Poppespënnchen asbl, explains to us his inclusion project within the framework of the puppet festival.

Portrait of Pit Vinandy in front of a red curtain

©Lynn Theisen

Pit Vinandy, President of Poppespënnchen asbl

  • Focus area Cultural
  • Period 2022

The project

It was the organizers of Esch2022 who gave us the idea for an inclusion project as part of our puppet festival. Indeed, two projects are hidden behind the title "Inclusion aux Marionnettes Sauvages".

First, there is a project that we are carrying out in collaboration with the HMC cooperative league, which involves the handmade production of puppets for sale and the creation of a puppet theater company with people with intellectual disabilities.

The second project, carried out in collaboration with the non-profit organization "Mir wëllen iech ons Heemecht weisen", involves the creation of a puppet theater company made up of refugees, artists, and local volunteers.

The achievement

The 2 shows (SHAMAMA and AMORE MIO) were performed at the puppet festival in September 2022 with great success, and a second time at the Poppespënnchen in October and November 2022. 

SHAMAMA was shown twice on May 1st at the Neumünster Abbey, and AMORE MIO will be reworked in collaboration with ACAT asbl.

I have experienced the most beautiful moments every time during the first. The audience often laughed until they cried. In general, the public was very moved and the feedback was positive. And what was unforgettable, was to see the sparkle in the actors' and actresses' eyes!

Perseverance pays off!

portrait de Pit Vinandy, assis sur une scène devant un rideau rouge. Il tient une marionnette dans la main
Pit Vinandy President of Poppespënnchen asbl

With SHAMAMA, we have recreated with refugees a version of their own story, of their escape. It was difficult at first to form a team with the refugees, to motivate them to come to the workshops, to create puppets and write the play. But thanks to a little perseverance and the involvement of local artists, as well as my participation as a puppeteer, we were able to achieve it.

For AMORE MIO, it was difficult to find a type of puppet that was suitable for the needs of the participants and their psychomotor abilities. We therefore adapted by creating very large puppets, in the style of the Muppets. This play dealt with a rather serious subject: the integration of foreigners in Luxembourg in 1920, but was presented in a rather comical way. The audience, often made up of friends or family members of the actors, was delighted to see them on stage, and for the actors and actresses, it was also a great moment.

Furthermore, the project allowed us to create new collaborations. For example, for a few weeks now, I have been playing concerts organized by the EME Foundation with musician OMID, who is a refugee from Afghanistan.

Portrait of Pit Vinandy, sitting on a stage in front of a red curtain. He is holding a puppet in his hand.

©Lynn Theisen

Pit Vinandy, President of Poppespënnchen asbl

Objective

We have many people around us who need to be included, let's meet them with an open mind and open arms. Inclusion projects require a lot of patience and persistence, and it is important to be interested in people's needs and include them 100%.

The results we obtained inspire us to continue, and we really want to relive such beautiful moments with the participants who have become friends!

We will therefore continue to work with the theater companies that have been created, and to stage new shows with them.

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