🪩 What's on in Madrid: August 22
A Celia Cruz tribute, disco music, a play about modern life, and more.
Madrid | Issue #112
🇪🇸 The Bubble is Spain's #1 English-language, bestselling newsletter. We offer paid subscriptions, and we’d be thrilled to have your support!
🚨 Reminder: The Thursday edition of The Bubble Newsletter is taking its own summer holidays as well, but we’ll still be publishing the weekend guide, as well as on Instagram and TikTok in August.
Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend
It’s Friday again!
And yes, it’s still August. Which means Madrid remains a ghost town.
Your favorite barista? Probably in Cádiz. Your neighbors? Somewhere in Mallorca. You, however, are stuck here sweating it out with
usother unlucky souls.But hey, at least the city’s cultural calendar is still on life support, so we have a few good options. This week, you can watch Billy Wilder’s The Apartment under the stars at Cibeles de Cine, laugh (darkly) about humanity’s extinction at Teatro Lara, or get existential with Nicholas Nixon’s The Brown Sisters at Fundación Mapfre.
Madrid may be empty, but at least we spoil you.
Happy weekend. 😎
1.🎶 Celia Cruz lives: Lucrecia celebrates the queen of salsa
The Veranos de la Villa summer festival is coming to a close (sad face), and it’s going out in style: with rhythm, sabor, and a heartfelt tribute to one of Latin music’s most unforgettable icons: Celia Cruz.
Cuban singer Lucrecia will take the stage this weekend for Celia Vive, a spectacular homage to the great Celia Cruz on the centenary of her birth. With a concert that’s a celebration of life, joy, and music, expect to hear Cruz’s greatest hits all brought back to life in Lucrecia’s unmistakable voice.
For Lucrecia, one of the most versatile performers in Latin music, this tribute is personal: she brings on stage the love and admiration of a friend who once shared the stage with Cruz herself. This bond gives the performance an emotional depth that goes beyond imitation. It’s a way of keeping Cruz’s spirit alive.
You’ll have the rare opportunity to relive the energy and charisma of La Guarachera de Cuba, the woman who became known worldwide as the Queen of Salsa.
🖥️ What: Celia Vive: Tribute concert by Lucrecia
📍 Where: Auditorio Pilar García Peña, Pinar del Rey Park, Carretera de Canillas, 1, Madrid
📅 When: Aug. 24, 9:30 p.m.
🎟 Tickets: €5
2.🎭 La extinción de los dinosaurios: a dark comedy on why dinosaurs went extinct (and we probably will too)
Starting Saturday, the Teatro Lara hosts a sharp new black comedy written and directed by Fran Nortes, an actor and playwright who’s pretty well-known from both film and television (trust us).
The Extinction of Dinosaurs paints a biting portrait of today’s world: a society in crisis, dehumanized and corrupt, where good, hard-working people with values seem destined to vanish, just like the dinosaurs (so no, no live dinosaurs in this one.😕)
With dark humor and unsettling honesty, Nortes dissects the intersections of power, family, money, and mortality, pulling the audience into an introspective (and often uncomfortably funny) exploration of modern life.
Expect an evening of razor-sharp wit, moral dilemmas, and a theatrical mirror held up to our own times, all delivered with the irreverence of black comedy.
The cast includes Ruth Núñez, Jorge Monje, Daniel Ortiz / Enrique Guaza, and Iván Villanueva.
🖥️ What: La Extinción de los Dinosaurios
📍 Where: Teatro Lara. Corredora Baja de San Pablo, 15, Madrid.
📅 When: Aug. 23—Oct. 18. Fridays and Saturdays, 8:15 p.m.
🎟 Tickets: €20
3.📸 Last chance to see Nicholas Nixon’s The Brown Sisters exhibit
This weekend is your last chance to see an exhibit dedicated to the work of Nicholas Nixon (Detroit, 1947), one of the leading voices in portrait and social photography since the 1970s. The show is part of the official program of PHotoESPAÑA 2025.
At its heart is Nixon’s iconic series The Brown Sisters, an extraordinary project that has followed his wife, Bebe Brown, and her three sisters every year since 1975 and until 2013.
Nixon captures the women’s journey from youth to maturity, turning the passage of time into a narrative as personal as it is universal. Known for his humanist lens and technical precision, Nixon transforms the sisters’ evolution into a meditation on aging, memory, and the enduring bonds of family.
The result is a body of work that resonates far beyond the Brown family itself, becoming a moving reflection on what it means to grow older together.
🖥️ What: Nicholas Nixon’s The Brown Sisters
📍 Where: Fundación Mapfre, Paseo de Recoletos 23, Madrid.
📅 When: Through Aug. 24.
🎟 Tickets: Check website.
4.✨ Relive the glitter era with We Love Disco
Disco may be dead but it will forever live in our hearts. So put on your dancing shoes and join a dazzling, discoinmersive show that pays tribute to the greatest hits that your parents may have spent hours dancing to when they were young.
After the smash successes of We Love Queen and We Love Rock, legendary thater company Yllana delivers an unforgettable journey through the biggest anthems of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Expect classic tracks by Gloria Gaynor, the Bee Gees, The Jacksons, The Trammps, The Village People, Diana Ross, Donna Summer, ABBA and more, all reimagined live by five singers backed by six acrobatic dancers.
It’s a full-on immersive party. With cutting-edge LED screens, robotic stage effects, and a live DJ keeping the energy high, the stage transforms into a pulsing disco dance floor that will have you singing, clapping, and moving along, just like your parents used to do.
Unless, of course, you’re that old, which means you yourself used to do it. In any case, it’s fun.
🖥️ What: We Love Disco
📍 Where: Teatro Gran Vía, Calle de Gran Vía 66, Madrid.
📅 When: Aug. 22—24. Check website for schedule.
🎟 Tickets: €25
5.🎬 Classics under the stars: The Apartment at Cibeles de Cine
Sunday evenings in Madrid this month can be sort of a bummer. Empty-ish streets and unbearable heat make it hard to leave the house. But Cibeles de Cine fortunately is still happening, and this Sunday, it’s showing Billy Wilder’s masterpiece The Apartment, which is turning 65 this year.
The story follows C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon), a timid insurance clerk who lends his flat to his bosses for their extramarital escapades in hopes of climbing the corporate ladder. But when he falls for Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), the charming elevator operator who happens to be involved with one of those bosses, Baxter is forced to choose between professional ambition and the possibility of true love.
Equal parts biting satire of corporate culture and tender romantic comedy, The Apartment is a film that has aged like fine wine. Winner of five Oscars, including Best Picture, it’s a reminder that sometimes success comes not from playing the game, but from daring to step out of it. Oh, and it’s subtitled in Spanish! (So no dubbing, gracias a dios.)
Watching this classic under the summer sky at Cibeles de Cine is about as magical as Madrid evenings get. A night of timeless cinema in one of the city’s most beautiful open-air venues.
🖥️ What: Cibeles de Cine presents The Apartment
📍 Where: Palacio de Cibeles, Plaza de Cibeles 1, Madrid
📅 When: Aug. 24, 10 p.m.
🎟 Tickets: €7
📺 What to watch if you’re staying in this weekend…
🖥️ What: The Cavern Crimes (La Huella del Mal) | Movie | 2025
📍Where to watch: Netflix
❓What’s it about: Based on the best-selling eponymous novel, La Huella del Mal is a gripping Spanish crime film set around the legendary Atapuerca archaeological ruins. When a brutal murder shocks a small town, the investigation uncovers buried secrets and forces the past (both human and prehistoric) to resurface.
🤩 Why you should watch: Because it’s not your typical murder mystery. It blends the suspense of True Detective with the eerie backdrop of Spain’s most famous prehistoric caves. Atmospheric, unsettling, and full of twists, it’s a crime story where the setting is as haunting as the crime itself.
💬 English subtitles: Yes.
🤤 Something to try this weekend…
🍝 My Pasta My Art: Italian done right
🎨 The Concept: My Pasta My Art feels like stepping into someone’s kitchen where the pasta machine never stops. Everything is made fresh in-house, and you can taste the difference. It’s Italian comfort food, but served with a little Madrid cool. It’s definitely a cozy spot in town—relaxed, warm, and perfect for a casual date night or dinner with friends.
📍Where: C. del Espíritu Santo, 16, Madrid | +34 919 89 68 15 | Website
🍝 The Food: This place is all about the pasta. Think tagliatelle with ragù, ravioli with creamy fillings, or a proper carbonara that doesn’t cut corners. The dishes are generous, satisfying, and full of flavor. You can see (and taste) the care in every plate.
Wine and cocktails are simple but well chosen—enough Italian classics to pair nicely with whatever pasta you go for.
💥 Recommendation: Go for the carbonara finished in the pecorino wheel. It’s rich, cheesy, and worth every forkful. The generous servings are typically priced between €10-€20.
🎷Jazz Bar Madrid: Cocktails, vinyl, and all the cool cats
🎨 The Concept: Jazz Bar Madrid is one of those spots that instantly sets the vibe—dim lights, retro charm, and music that flows as smoothly as the drinks. It feels like stepping back into a smoky old jazz club, but with a modern twist. A great place to slow down, listen, and sip something good.
📍Where: C. Moratín, 35, Madrid | +34 910 52 34 78 | Website
🍸 The Drinks: The bar takes its cocktails seriously. Expect classics like negronis, old fashioneds, and martinis, all made with care. They also have their own creative twists—seasonal mixes and Spanish spirits make an appearance. The wine list is short but nicely picked, and there’s always a cold beer if you want to keep it simple.
🎶 The Music: The real star of the show is the live jazz. Depending on the night, you’ll catch trios, duos, or the occasional guest artist. It’s intimate—up close, personal, and always full of energy. No two nights ever feel the same.
💥 A Recommendation: Grab a whiskey sour early in the evening and stay for the second set. Prices for cocktails usually land at €10–14, and the music is always worth it.
👨🏻💻 Viral Meme of the Week
🏘️ Welcome to “Dirtyman”
🔔 Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!
If you’re not following us on Instagram yet, you’re missing out. We’re posting exclusive content with our collaborators across Spain, breaking news updates, and pop culture coverage. Click on the post above and come hang with us!
🙏 Once again, please remember to share this newsletter with your friends on social media. The more we grow, the more information we’ll be able to offer each week.
We’ll be back next week with more.