This past weekend, Rachel and I checked out Amsterdam based company, Kassys’ KOMMER show at On The Boards. This great show about grief, stress, and loneliness is split into two parts – the first part is performed live, and portrays a group of 6 actors as they respond to the news of the death of a loved one.
The second part is a video performance of the actors in their ‘real life’. The camera follows the actors after they have finished the performance that we have just watched. We observe them in their ‘private’ lives, and witness their loneliness.
Watching the actors in their ‘private’ lives was really disturbing…
the frustrated stewardess destroying objects around her and finally passed out on the bed, in the depressing hotel room…
the lonely guy sitting on his bed, binging on anything and everything he found in his room….
and the older gentleman climbing the cluttered stairs to his living room, drinking tea, surround by piles of unpacked boxes, unopened mail, and more junk. I walked away from the show feeling sad, lonely, and depressed.
After KOMMER, Rachel and I headed to BalMar, a comfortable and stylish bar located in the heart of downtown Ballard at the intersection of Ballard Avenue and NW Market. BalMar serves yummy small plates in a two-story building with exposed brick walls. Both floors have a bar along with two pool tables on the top floor. The huge picture window on the top floor makes the BalMar an ideal spot to people watch.
Everything we ordered was delicious and prepared simply with the freshest ingredients. We shared slices of prosciutto on apricot bread with spicy olives, a house salad, spinach with golden raisins and garlic, crispy chicken breast served with vegetables, and persimmon flan.
The bottom floor was comfortably packed but the upstairs was chocked full. This place definitely is a hot spot on the weekends and caters to an older crowd. I won’t hang out here on the weekends but I’ll come back for happy hour during the week.
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