I read the play synopsis before I went, which I mostly but not-entirely understood, and was still lost for a lot of the show. I know it had something to do with two candidates I think running against each other for president and also secretly in love with each other, though that part of the story line disappeared halfway through. Then for some reason there was a Monsignor (I think) or some kind of clerical character who seemed to be serving as their psychiatrist. They kept flipping into moments of absurdism, which I only knew were happening because of lighting shifts and sound cues, but I didn't understand why a single one of them happened. And then in the middle there was a puppet show for ten minutes that I think was a talk show involving French terrorists. I've got nothing on that part. Then there was a part where the audience got to ask questions - I had nothing to say because I know nothing about even fake Spanish politics - and then we voted. That didn't matter though because the voting got rigged so that the socialist candidate would win. (The other party is the popular party - that's true in modern Spain. But I don't know anything about what either party stands for.) So then the play was basically over, the three actors came out and bowed like five times (don't ask me why), and I went home.
Mostly I can appreciate that it would have been really funny if I truly understood what was going on. It was an interesting style of acting, almost caricatures or cartoon-like acting. I can't comment much on the directing, because mostly I got combinations of vocal tone with lighting or sound shifts, but I was never bored. So that's good. I think in the near future I'd like to see a Spanish adaptation of a play I know, so I can follow the story line and see differences in interpretation. OH! But I did find out after the show that this play was a "liberal translation" of a Checkhov play. Which helps explain a little bit why it was confusing - Checkhov plays are dense, and it's about politics, but then they changed the country, which changes a lot.
So anyway, after the play I came home to find my roommate with a friend of ours - I hadn't seen them all day because they went on a hike. Like on a mountain. (I might have gone but it required two hours of trains each way and they left at like 6:30 am. I am definitely not that dedicated to hiking.) So we decided to go out for the night to a place called El Tigre, which is a bar that gives you plates of free tapas when you order a drink (and therefore is always EXTREMELY crowded). And the drinks are huge, so it's a good thing there's food to go with them:
That's what size the mojitos are.
Tapas! Croquetas, patatas con salsa brava, and chicken and ham-stuffed-mushrooms on bread.
Me with my friends Emily, Nidhi, and Mojito.
While at the bar (which is full of college students studying abroad and other foreigners, in addition to a few locals), we met some guys (one of whom took that last picture for us) and spent most of the night chatting with them, trying to improve our Spanish and help them with their English. They all had great Spanish names like Juan Antonio, and Miguel, and we all introduced ourselves with the European kiss on each cheek, which everyone does here but which takes some getting used to. I spent most of my time talking to a guy named Alejandro (seriously), who is an engineer though I never figured out exactly what he does. We actually spent a fair amount of time talking about American sports, once I figured out he was asking me if I was a Yankees fan. (It sounded more like he was saying Yonkers.) He likes American basketball and can probably name more teams than I can. He and his friends are all from I think essentially the suburbs of Madrid, so it was really a fluke that we met.
Since we were spending time with true Spaniards, we ended up staying out really late, and went to another bar, but that meant we didn't get really drunk (because it was so spread out - I promise!) and we got to practice our Spanish a lot. Particularly I think our pronunciation got better, even if our grammar is still pretty bad. It's also a little hard to learn Spanish while drinking a mojito as big as your head. (At this time, I would just like to take a moment to remind everyone that I am 21. Also the drinking age in Spain is 18. So. PERFECTLY LEGAL. SO LEGAL.)
Eventually we said goodnight and took a cab home. I am definitely a fan of El Tigre - the drinks and the food are delicious, and it's probably the best deal in Madrid, or in a close second to Cien Montaditos. Today is a lazy Sunday in which I plan not to leave the house but instead enjoy our big beautiful living room and get my art history reading done. (Guys, my homework is not due until Tuesday. I dunno what to do.)
If I'm good and get my reading done, maybe I can finally write that Segovia post. I still have to edit the photos, but at least they're already on my computer. I hear it's practically winter in the states - stay warm! (It's still in the 80s and low 90s here. It's a little ridiculous.)
¡Hasta luego!
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