Welcome to the third episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels.
This week's guest is Kelly Agathos, the Greek-American performer who founded two standout projects in Brussels: The Schuman Show, an EU-themed info-comedy, and ImproBubble, the city's improvisational theatre club. Kelly lives and breathes performance, comedy, and storytelling.
In this conversation, we discuss what it feels like to trade a promising career in EU institutions for an untraditional, disruptive path in creative arts that actually makes you happy. Kelly shares the founding story of The Schuman Show, why improvisation is useful far beyond the stage, and the perks and challenges of life as a performer in Brussels. We discuss whether Europeans can laugh at themselves, and how she finds her own middle ground in all the busyness. Watch till the end to discover who she thinks has the best gastronomy in Brussels - Greeks or Italians.
The episode is hosted by Viktorya Muradyan.
You can find more about The Schuman Show on https://www.schumanshow.eu/. Discover and join the ImproBubble on https://www.improbubble.com/. And of course, find out more about Kelly Agathos on her website, https://www.kellyagathos.com/.
šµ About The Middle Ground
Weāre Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together ā with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city weāve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
Thatās how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels ā not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before youāve āmade it.ā
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. Itās funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
š Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive. Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and letās find our middle ground together.
If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you.
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š§ Get in touch with us: ā themiddleground.bxl@gmail.comā
š Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk ā ā Instagramā | ā LinkedInā
Viktorya Muradyan ā ā Instagramā | ā LinkedIn