đ đ» The Tapa Weekend: November 22
Christmas markets are back, a monologue about time and some poetry for a change.
By @IanMount and @AdrianBono | November 22, 2024 | Madrid | Issue #76
đ Welcome to a new issue of The Tapa: Weekend Edition! An English-language newsletter about what to do this weekend in Madrid (plus memes!)
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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend
Itâs Friday again!
And yes, yesterday was a long day for news, which pushed us to publish really late. (You should be aware that a lot of parliamentary drama takes place on Thursdays, and sometimes, we need to wait until the afternoon/evening to send, or Tapa gets old really fast.)
Case in point: yesterdayâs drama with Victor de Aldama and his bonkers statement in court, which weâre sure weâll be covering next week because this case is only getting started.
We know, we know. âHey, no politics on the Friday issue!â youâre probably saying. And youâre right. But you know us, we couldnât let it slide.
Anyway, donât miss next weekâs Tapa Newsletter. Itâs gonna be cray.
Oh, and here are five things for you to do this weekend, courtesy of us.
Enjoy!
1.đ
đ» The Christmas Markets are back. (Yes, already)
Did you freak out a bit when you saw the Santa emoji in todayâs issue? Us too.
2024 has come and gone.
But at least the Christmas markets in Madrid are back! This is one of the most cherished traditions in the city this time of the year as multiple festive markets spring up across the city. These markets are a great opportunity to buy cheap original gifts this holiday season.
The first is in the Plaza de España and starts tomorrow (yay!). The square becomes home to La Navideña and it features a market and ice-skating rink. Just like the one in the Rockefeller Center! Suck it, NYC. This yearâs theme is The Nutcracker, so expect a lot of it everywhere. Thereâs also Swiss and German food. Maybe even some mulled wine! Go there tomorrow. Itâs a classic.
Then of course you have the Christmas Market in the Plaza Mayor (thatâs the big one), which makes its return in Nov. 28. There are 104 stalls there, so you have no excuse when it comes to finding a gift. Itâs organized by the Plaza Mayor Traditional Christmas Market Association and, for over a month, it becomes a hub for seasonal shopping, there are truly weird nativity scenes, holiday decorations, and novelty items.
Then thereâs one at Juan Goytisolo Square, next to the Reina SofĂa Museum, in which traditional stalls are usually set up, and visitors can enjoy ice skating on the nearby rink. The Isabel II Square also hosts a variety of stands where locals and tourists can pick up Christmas items.
Ho ho ho! Get your presents while you can.
Christmas Market at Plaza de España. Plaza de España, Madrid. Opens Nov. 23. Free admission.
2.â±ïž A monologue: âTo Move in Timeâ (and itâs in English!)
Arenât you happy when sometimes you get to experience events in English here? Not that thereâs anything wrong with practicing your Spanish, of course (in fact, we always encourage it). But thereâs nothing wrong with giving your brain a break.
To Move In Time is a monologue written by Tim Etchells for performer and collaborator Tyrone Huggins, in which an unnamed protagonist speculates playfully about what heâd do if he were able to travel backwards and forwards in time.
From fantasies of changing the present, to obsessions with everyday events in the past, to dreaming up ways to get rich from knowledge of the future, the text is an unfolding compulsive thought process.
In the end though, far from the science fiction of time travel it is ostensibly working with, To Move In Time concerns itself with questions of value and priority â what matters, what needs to be cared for and what can be changed.
An obsessive stream of consciousness tangled and contradictory, the work combines Etchellsâ text with Huggins' powerful performance to walk a line between comic absurdity and melancholia. (And you complain we only recommend reggaeton and street markets!)
Also, your only chance to see this is tonight so get your tickets quickly.
To Move in Time. Centro de Cultura Contemporanea CondeDuque. Conde Duque 11, Madrid. Nov. 22. 8 p.m. Tickets: âŹ18.
3.đ The Play that Goes Wrong but in Spanish
See? And now we have the opposite. Youâve probably heard of the classic Broadway and West End comedy The Play that Goes Wrong. Well, this is the Spanish version and you shouldnât miss it.
Now in its fifth season in Spain, with an adaptation by ZenĂłn Recalde and direction by Sean Turner and David Ottone, the show has captivated over 8 million audience members worldwide. In Spain, it has surpassed 1,000 performances and over 450,000 people have seen it already.
They play is often described as âa blend of Monty Python and Sherlock Holmesâ, and it follows a group of actors attempting to stage Murder at Haversham Manor, a mystery in the vein of Agatha Christieâs The Mousetrap.
But, true to its name, everything in this production that can go wrong does go wrong. Props fall apart, fires break out, actors forget their lines, miss their cues, or are forced to make unconventional entrances when doors refuse to open. Itâs all pretty hilarious.
Worth the money if youâre looking to escape the sorry state of the world.
La funciĂłn que sale mal. Teatro Amaya. Paseo del General MartĂnez Campos 9, Madrid. Check website for schedule. Tickets: âŹ22.
4.đŻïž Some Poetry: POETAS del Viernes at La Casa Encendida
Enough with the mundane and the frivolous. Letâs talk poetry! Because POETAS del Viernes (Friday Poets) is here to present you with some high-brow event for those of you who love to look smart on your Instagram stories.
POETAS today (its opening day!) presents a diverse lineup, including a unique poetic performance by Alberto CortĂ©s created specifically for the occasion, intimate readings by MĂĄlaga poet MarĂa Eloy-GarcĂa and Slovenian writer Nina DragiÄeviÄ, and a selection of video poems curated by the directors of the Maldito Festival (now on its fifth edition).
In the Patio, audiences will witness the premiere of Preludio a la Lentitud, a poetic stage production by the award-winning Versonautas, before closing the night with an unusual blend of poetry and classical music in a session by Furtiva feat. Omvra, specially produced for this yearâs festival.
See? High-brow!
Also, this is today at 6 p.m. so if youâre planning on going better get your tickets now.
POETAS del Viernes. La Casa Encendida. Ronda de Valencia 2, Madrid. Nov. 22, 6 p.m. Tickets: âŹ6.
5.đž Mercado de las Ranas street market
Yes. Again.
The Mercado de las Ranas is back this Saturday so if youâre wondering where to spend your hard earned euros, this is the place.
This street market (which we recommend here regularly) is similar to the Portobello Road or Candem Town markets in London. This Saturday, stores participating in this mercado in 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. Youâre welcome.
Mercado de las Ranas. All along Calle de las Huertas in Las Letras, Madrid. Saturday, Nov. 23, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
đšđ»âđ» Viral Story of the Week
đ Someone calls cocido madrileño âSpanish ramenâ and all hell breaks loose
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I saw The Play that Goes Wrong first in English and nearly died laughing; I then saw it in Spanish in Colombia, and it was way less intelligible but I nearly died laughing AGAIN. What I'm saying is, it's a dangerous business.