Dublin, 29th of September 2026

👋 Greetings, dear readers.

I hope and assume you had a better week than I did. Do you remember when I told you last week that I came back from Malta a bit under the weather? That was an huge understatement. As the previously scheduled newsletter was reaching your inbox, I was lying on the sofa, miserably weak and feverish, with such low energy that I could barely keep my eyes open when I wasn’t falling asleep, since I spent the previous night, violently shivering in bed.

It’s been years since I’ve felt so ill. I had to cancel several rehearsals and other appointments as I remained self-quarantined at home to make sure things didn’t get worse before flying to Dublin. When you read this, I’ll be in the Republic of Ireland, attending the only festival I attend with religious fervor: Improv Fest Ireland.

I’m kind of proud of myself for keeping negative self-judgment at bay about doing absolutely nothing productive and just resting. One of the perks of having a neurodivergence diagnosis is catching myself when I start trying to being harsh on myself for things I can’t control. When there’s really nothing else you can do, acceptance and self-care are the only wise choices.

The same goes for improv. Because I’ve lately dialed down the importance of improv in my life, recently I’ve been surprising myself with pretty compelling scenes whenever I’ve had the chance to do them. So I really recommend taking a break and lowering your expectations when you find that improv is taking more from you than you can actually put on the table at the moment.

I guess Mick Napier, founder of The Annoyance Theatre in Chicago, is right when he says you have to take care of yourself before being able to take care of anything else. He was talking about scene work, but I find that motto can easily be extended to so many aspects of our craft.

I still haven’t experienced that on the Playback Theatre side, luckily. I haven't burned out from the practice itself, I feel a bit worn out from being in too many kitchens on the international front, though. I really should take my own advice to heart and focus on my own communities.

Here’s to keep ourselves healthy and sane, and to take a break when needed.

🫶 Stay hydrated, love to you all.

PS. I’ve changed the header image of the newsletter to make it consistent with the podcast. Give it a listen, by the way! 😀

🎭 The Theatre bit

After four days in self-quarantine, my partner took me to the Trafalgar Theatre to feel the healing vibes of Thalia, muse of comedy. So I ended up seeing Oh, Mary!, in the last legs of the run starring Jinkx Monsoon.

American comedian, actor, and playwright Cole Escola wrote this reimagining of the last days of US President Abraham Lincoln through the lens of an unhinged version of his wife, Mary Todd.

I can definitely see why this play was a success on Broadway and made the jump to London’s West End. Oh, Mary! is a real crowd pleaser with down-to-earth humour (very down) and a fast pace that makes its barely 90 minutes run fly by in the blink of an eye.

Jinkx Monsoon, as expected, smashes the part of Mary Todd with her impeccable comedic wit, aided by great direction from Sam Pinkleton and, of course, the well choreographed dialogue written by Escola.

Since the portrayal of Mary Todd is ever-changing in this production, I’m quite curious about how other performers tackle the role, adding a clever re-watch value to the play. Oh, Mary! is a great, accessible play that won’t require a major commitment in your schedule while offering a good time. It might not be the most profound of plays, but it’s well worth a watch.

📆 What is coming up

• 🇮🇪 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. 🎵

• 🇬🇧 13th of November - Acaprov at Shoreditch Balls (London, UK). With Halloween left behind, but on a Friday the 13th, the monthly Acaprov musical will be ready to serve thrills. Secure your tickets. 🎼

• 🇬🇧 20, 21, 22, 28 and 29th of November - Playback Theatre Core Training (London, UK). Are you finally considering getting into Playback Theatre? Join True Heart Theatre’s Level 1 core training to learn the basics of Playback and put them to the test with a showcase! Info and registration here.

📚 🎮 🎥 📺 The geeky dessert

It’s been a while since I recommended an anime. Last week I watched Sing a Bit of Harmony, which is, in my opinion, a horrible translated title for アイの歌声を聴かせて (Let Me Hear Ai’s Singing Voice).

If you look past the bad English title with its terrible pun, you’ll find a feel-good, wholesome movie about an AI in a realistic android body who just wants to cherish her friends through insightful songs.

The plot is pretty simple and hits all the expected beats of its arc. But what really matters is the journey, and how studio J.C.Staff and director Yasuhiro Yoshiura bring us along for the ride. It honestly has a few scenes that had me on the verge of exploding from wholesomeness!

Cute, fun, and with catchy and beautiful songs.