The freedom to go see shows by myself got to my head, proven by my purchase of a single ticket to Burning Down the Horse, a comedic take on what happened in the Trojan Horse as it made its way towards Troy. I had no idea what to expect when I went into this show, and the interactive elements surprised me in a good way.

The stage itself was one part of a much bigger venue, named Pleasance Courtyard. There was an intense number of shows being performed there, and an equal amount of people filling the area.

When I entered the performance area for Burning Down the Horse, I was greeted by a Greek soldier carrying a clipboard, instructing everyone to enter the Horse in an orderly fashion. The audience represented the miscellaneous soldiers in the Horse, filling in the space that could not be harbored by actors.

The hour that followed was both hilarious and surprisingly thoughtful. It portrayed Odysseus as his most common characterization; a strategic and clever yet selfish, glory hungry man. Although I disagree with this, it was a take on his character that was necessary for the story to unfold. He convinces the soldiers on the Horse that the battle they face is full of – you guessed it –  glory and storytelling, and even though many will die, those that survive will be given the privileges of heroism. The soldiers rally to this call… until the architect of the Horse, who had fallen asleep after finishing building it, wakes up and tells the soldiers that all of this is a suicide mission.

Burning Down the Horse was a very clever retelling of the iconic Trojan Horse, with a twist ending I certainly did not see coming. It kept even Greek mythology nerds like me on their toes, while still making comedic nods to the original works. Overall, I really enjoyed the show, with the interactive elements adding an extra spice to the already well written show. 

Once I exited the theater, I was faced with rain. It was unexpected for the day yet entirely expected for the country, and I was both excited by it and a bit annoyed, considering I had a fifteen minute walk back to the hotel. Pokémon Go kept me company on the walk, along with Google Maps. It was cold, yet not too dreary, and I was thankful for the fact that my shoes (Albirds brand) were double layered with wool as the rain came down on me. 

That evening, we decided to go explore the nearby area for dinner. The rain had lightened up, which made the short walk around the block quite relaxing. The restaurant that we decided on was a breakfast place we had gotten pastries from a few days previous. It was called Soderberg, and out of the three of us, Jamie was its biggest fan.

They served a 10am to 5pm brunch, which we ordered from. It was breakfast for dinner, yes, but it was satisfying nonetheless. The restaurant was Swedish, and the food was deceptively light in appearance and heavy when it hit your stomach.

The day, although not too eventful, was fun, and as I continue to write these posts, I’m realizing that that is all one really needs in a day. Fun and enjoyment.