London, 25th of August 2026

👋 Greetings, dear readers.

How was your past week? I hope you did a bunch of amazing things. Or, at least, enjoyed a fair amount of lovely nothing if you’re on holiday! I have to confess I had a few mental health hiccups, but I kind of know how to deal with them now. On a positive note, we discovered a fantastic spot for plant-based fish and chips here in London, and we also celebrated the second anniversary of moving into our home by redecorating the entrance hallway. It looks sooo gorgeous now!

Going back to the mental health thing, this week is one of those times where I'm looking inward, hoping you might gain something useful from it. I’ve always felt that I was (and still am) holding myself back from pursuing opportunities or reaching out to people to build bridges for potential collaborations and professional development in improv, Playback Theatre or as a performer or facilitator. I always assumed I was just lazy or not talented enough, which led me to be really harsh with myself. If you’re a fellow neurodivergent, I feel like you might know exactly what I’m hinting at.

In horror movies, there’s a common trope where the main characters have to find out the demon’s name in order to fight it. I was unaware I was being crippled by a demon whose name I didn’t know until I underwent counseling and several assessments that led to my diagnosis. That demon (among others lurking inside) is none other than… RSD (Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria). [Cue dramatic fanfare].

Getting to know what I’m dealing with has helped me a lot. It doesn’t make it go away, but it gives me clarity about what’s happening, even retrospectively. Basically, rejection hurts far beyond what a neurotypical person might experience, and it directly affects my behavior. I tend to see rejection where none exists, avoiding action, speaking up, or making requests out of sheer fear. Don’t even get me started on being an actor auditioning.

To make things even more convoluted, my autism makes it difficult to avoid being blunt and speaking my mind when necessary, especially when something feels inherently wrong. That can lead to further rejection and broken ties (and I'm probably banned from the US if they ever check my social media).

Looking back, I grieve for the lost opportunities and connections, but I do my best to look forward. Every time I feel an RSD episode coming on, I can now pause, breathe, and view what I’m feeling as the work of an entity like Pazuzu or Valak, just waiting to be exorcised. It’s still very annoying, but I try to treat it like a migraine: it hurts, but eventually, the pain passes.

Another strategy that helps is opening an imaginary chest inside my mind to store everything that counts as an achievement. Every project I’ve successfully launched, every workshop I’ve delivered that earned praise, every performance, every person I’ve cherished who cherished me back, and even every single issue of this newsletter. I try to open that chest and look inside whenever I feel afflicted.

I wanted to share this to let you know that if you’ve ever felt this way, try to look for the things that make you proud about yourself. You are not alone, you might just be fighting unnamed demons. Maybe you are also knowingly dealing with this. Maybe you have amazing tips. In any case, feel free to reach out. We can build an army together.

🫶 Stay hydrated, love to you all.

🎭 The Theatre bit

Was I talking about names? There is a name that, if you say it three times in a row, makes bad things happen. It’s not Bloody Mary, because you don’t need a mirror. I’m talking about Beetlejuice. 😀

After a failed attempt to see it on Broadway years ago during my first visit to New York City, I finally managed to catch the musical theatre iteration of Beetlejuice right on my doorstep here in London’s West End, being able to scratch a long time ongoing itch.

Beetlejuice: The Musical loosely follows the plot of Tim Burton’s film while tweaking a few character traits and backgrounds. David Fynn as Beetlejuice and Hannah Nordberg as Lydia Deetz spearhead an impressive cast through a spectacle filled with fun songs, creepy choreography, and a set that is a dream come true for a Halloween sucker like me.

Moreover, it’s the first time I’ve seen a musical where a character acknowledges, in song, having Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart condition that I happen to have. I was glad to see some representation for the 0.03% to 0.05% of us born with it. ❤️‍🩹

Heart condition or not, I truly recommend getting your bum over to the Prince Edward Theatre in London to enjoy it. They’ll be on at least until next spring.

📆 What is coming up

• 🇬🇧 11th of September - Acaprov at Shoreditch Balls (London, UK). For so many people, September is a time for another beginning. Kick off the academic year with a musical. Secure your sit.

• 🇲🇹 18th of September - Intro to Playback Theatre (Valletta, Malta). I´m honoured to be part of the facilitator roster attending the Improvizza! festival in Malta. I´m excited to introduce Playback Theatre to improvisers there. Tickets here.

• 🇲🇹 19th of September - Acaprov at IMPROVIZZA (Valletta, Malta). Yes, Acaprov will also be performing in Malta as part of the Improvizza! festival programme. If you happen to be there, come by! You’ll find tickets here.

• 🇬🇧 27th of September - True Heart Theatre open rehearsal (London, UK). We are going to be hosting another open rehearsal at the end of the third quarter. Bring your curiosity and experience Playback Theatre in a safe space. Free registration here.

• 🇮🇪 2nd of October - C*NTS (Dublin, Ireland). Premiere of the artistic unscripted theatrical piece that my friend Rosalind Grégoire and I will be bringing to Improvfest Ireland. It’ll be… interesting. Come and found out.

• 🇬🇧 9th of October - Acaprov at Shoreditch Balls (London, UK). It’ll be spooky season! Will our show be? Come and check out. Get your tickets. 🎵

📚 🎮 🎥 📺 The geeky dessert

Still want to hear more about names? It is said that if you put a name in a particular notebook while picturing the face of its owner, they will die. That’s the premise of Death Note, a manga (Japanese comic book) written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, which run ended just 20 years ago after 12 volumes published and an anime series in the works by the prestigious studio Madhouse.

During my recent trips to València, bit by bit, I've been bringing over the manga stash I had (and have) stored in boxes so I can finally have it with me in London. After moving the part of my Junji Ito collection that I started back in Spain, my next goal was to bring over the gorgeous Death Note: Black Edition. Naturally, along the process I've started re-reading it.

Death Note tells the story of Light Yagami, a teenager who stumbles upon a notebook, dropped by a Shinigami, with the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. After the deaths of numerous criminals raise alarms among the authorities, they enlist the help of L, a brilliant detective with unorthodox methods.

Both the manga and the anime, rightfully, were huge successes during the 2000s due to the brilliance and intricacy of the story, the moral dilemma of justice versus law, as well as the dynamic between the main characters. Its legacy continues to draw newcomers to the fandom. I highly recommend reading it, but if you have a Netflix subscription, watching the anime is an easy way to start.