đ The Tapa Weekend: April 19
Featuring The Night of the Books, Romeo & Juliet reimagined and a feminist photo exhibit.
By @IanMount and @AdrianBono | April 19, 2024 | Madrid | Issue #50
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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend
Happy Friday, everyone! And we know why youâre happy today, as we have a few things to celebrate:
First and foremost, this is our 50th issue! Hard to believe for 50 weeks now youâve been listening to our rants and ramblings, casually recommending pretentious art galleries and cafĂ©s like we have any idea what weâre talking about. So thank you for choosing us.
Second, the iconic Metropolis building (pictured above) is finally uncovered! Since itâs being turned into a high-end boutique hotel and some five-star restaurants, chances are thatâs all youâll get to see of it unless youâre willing to sell a kidney.
Last but not least, SĂĄlvame is coming back. Remember SĂĄlvame? Trash TV at its finest? Yeah, that one. Itâs making a comeback so no reason to leave the house anymore.
Anyway, if youâre looking for things to do this weekend, here are some options.
Enjoy.
1. Madridâs Night of the Books 2024
Ah, books. Those things sitting on your shelf that youâve promised yourself youâd read one day. Youâve got many and they look pretty, so why not get some more?
Over 100 towns and cities in the Madrid region are celebrating the 19th edition of The Night of the Books tonight. And yes, itâs a fantastic opportunity to spend your hard-earned money on physical media, but itâs also so much more than that.
Under the slogan âA Home Foreverâ, this epic event that celebrates literature includes over 500 activities around Madrid, featuring over 300 authors, 127 bookstores and 116 libraries.
This yearâs theme âevokes the many homes in which we dwell: the planet, nature, the body, our thoughts, or the city, through encounters, conversations, and activities in various centers across the Community of Madridâ.
Authors Clara SĂĄnchez, Laura FernĂĄndez, Ălez de la Iglesia and Manuel Jabois (among many, many others) will meet with readers in various locations to discuss their work and participate in debates, round tables, workshops and conferences.
There are tons oâ places for you to visit and you will certainly not be able to see them all tonight so just pick one and head over there. Check out the main activities brochure here (focused mostly on downtown Madrid).
La Noche de los Libros 2024. Multiple locations around Madrid (both the city and the autonomous region). April 19. Check website for schedules. Free admission.
2. Duel Reality: A Classic Love Story, Reimagined
Whatâs that? You hate reading and would rather wait for the movie? Weâve got a fun alternative for you (we still judge you for not liking books though. Of course, yes, we will binge watch SĂĄlvame but weâve still skimmed through War & Peace once, for Christâs sake).
Anyway, remember Baz Luhrmannâs Romeo + Juliet starring Leo DiCaprio and Claire Danes? Well this is sort of like it, in the sense that itâs nothing like William Shakespeareâs version.
Canadian artists collective Les 7 doigts de la main is back in Spain to offer a dance and acrobatics version of Romeo and Juliet thatâs as trippy as you can imagine (see video above).
This version of the classic love (and spoiler alert: death) story of the two young lovers with families who hate each other features a referee, lots of jumping around and even team shirts to distinguish whoâs Capulet and whoâs Montague.
7 doigts shows have gained enormous popularity in recent years due to their unusual and unique productions that âblend contemporary dance, acrobatics, theater, and circusâ. They have performed over 8,000 times in 40 countries so yeah, they are big.
As Shakespeare famously said, âif thou dost wish to procure tickets to behold it, we do advise thee to hie thee to the internet anon and secure them with hasteâ.
Duel Reality. Teatro Circo Price, Ronda de Atocha, 35, Madrid. Through April 28. Check website for schedule. Tickets start at âŹ15.
3. An exhibit by iconic photographer Colita called âAntifĂ©minaâ
This exhibit at the Goya Hall of the CĂrculo de Bellas Artes is reaching its final days so if you havenât been yet, make sure you drop by. It focuses on AntifĂ©mina, a feminist graphic book published in 1977 by photographer Colita (Isabel Steva HernĂĄndez) and writer Maria AurĂšlia Capmany.
The two joined forces to create this pioneering project that sought to reclaim the role of women in a male-dominated society (Franco had just died and Spain was a very different country back then).
In fact, AntifĂ©mina is considered Spainâs first openly feminist graphic book (it ended up being removed from the shelves), a defiant work of art as the country was still transitioning towards democracy. Many years later, the initial negatives were located and restored, so the book was republished in 2021.
This exhibition aims to âhighlight AntifĂ©mina's contribution to feminist literature and reclaim the role of these two audacious women who challenged adversity by addressing feminism directly and forcefullyâ. Pretty cool stuff.
AntifĂ©mina. Circulo de Bellas Artes. Calle de AlcalĂĄ 42, Madrid. Through May 5. Check website for schedule. Tickets start at âŹ5,50.
4. Another classic play: Fernando de Rojasâ La Celestina
The classic dramedy La Celestina is back, starring actress Anabel Alonso. If youâve never heard of it and want to start getting to know Spanish pop culture (and history), hereâs your chance to do so.
The story, written by Fernando de Rojas around the end of the 15th century, is set in Salamanca and revolves around the ill-fated love affair between Calisto, a young nobleman, and Melibea, a beautiful and virtuous maiden (man, young lovers back then really couldnât catch a break, could they).
Calisto (the guy) falls madly in love with Melibea (the girl) after catching a glimpse of her in her garden. Despite her initial rejection, Calisto enlists the help of Celestina, an old and cunning prostitute turned procuress, to win Melibea's heart. (This is why a matchmaker in Spanish is usually referred to as a Celestina).
This story is considered one of the greatest works of Spanish literature and is renowned for its exploration of themes such as love, desire, morality, and the human condition. It is also often regarded as an early example of the picaresque novel.
Weâre not gonna spoil the ending because you probably havenât read it but⊠you know.
*cough*
La Celestina. Teatro Reina Victoria, Carrera de San JerĂłnimo 24, Madrid. Check website for schedule. Through June 16. Tickets start at âŹ20.
5. A Street Market: Mercado de las Ranas
(Yes, weâve covered this one before but whenever we do repeats itâs because they are worth it).
The Mercado de las Ranas is back this Saturday so if youâre wondering where to spend your hard earned euros (if you havenât spent it all on books, that is), this is the place.
This street market is similar to the Portobello Road or Candem Town markets in London. This Saturday, stores participating in this mercado near Plaza Santa Ana, in the Las Letras district, bring their goods outside into the street so visitors can buy their favorite book, t-shirt or grab a slice of pizza on the go.
If thereâs one thing we love about Madrid (and there are actually many), itâs the street market scene, and this one doesnât disappoint. After a bit of retail therapy, grab a table at the plaza and sip a cool caña (especially now that itâs getting warmer).
Youâre welcome.
Mercado de las Ranas. All along Calle de las Huertas in Las Letras, Madrid. Saturday, April 20, Noon to 7 p.m.
đšđ»âđ» Viral Stories of the Week
đŁïž Dear English SpeakersâŠ
As weâve all noticed a rise in English speakers (especially Americans) in Madrid recently, one restaurant would like to note that Spain by definition is not an English-speaking country, so if you insist on using English, make it clear, not like, âYeah, um, lemme get one of them cookies there.â Preferable? âOne chocolate chip cookie, please.â Ever better? âBut, dude, like arenât you supposed to be the ones learning a new language in this scenario?â Indeed.
đ King of the road
Who doesnât love a good crazy driver video! So this guy is driving down the street in Barcelona with the truck equivalent of his zipper open, when his flapping rear door starts taking out streetlights. Thatâs the full 1ïžâŁ0ïžâŁ points from the Tapa judge, pal. Itâs the triple lutz of truck driving screwups, nailed perfectly.
đ A Message From Our Sponsor
Secret Kingdoms is your English bookstore in Madrid. It specializes in Spanish history and literature, contemporary and classic novels, books for children and young adults of all ages, history and historical fiction, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, poetry, biographies and much more.
Located on Calle de MoratĂn 7 â a few blocks away from the Prado Museum â and with over 20,000 new and used books, Secret Kingdoms has something for everyone.
Find out more at www.thesecretkingdoms.com
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