Anthony Grabowski eats, sleeps, and breathes English. No wonder his weekly tribute to Queen Liz and her subjects has turned into the popular U.K. Tuesdays at Mercury Lounge. The sound of Brit bands -- from '80s favorites the Clash and the Eurythmics to modern rockers Radiohead and Coldplay -- wafts from the speakers, as bartender Grabowski pours doses of cherry-flavored Three Olives vodka (distilled, natch, in London).
While the music plays and the liquor flows, videos of the latest English Premier League soccer matches air on a TV hitched to the wall at the front of the bar. "I just wanted something I could enjoy," Grabowski says. "Because I have to be here." U.K. Tuesdays happen from 5 to 9 p.m. at Mercury Lounge, 1392 West Sixth Street. Admission is free; call 216-566-8840. -- Cris Glaser
Woman's Work
The Secretaries kills gay-theater stereotypes.
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Director Trad A Burns likes it that The Secretaries doesn't stereotype gays, and he takes pride in the fact that it has no political agenda. "You either have Angels in America or the Jeffrey sort of thing with boys in their underpants, or the other side, where it's not gay-centered," he says of most gay fare. Scripted by the playwriting collective Five Lesbian Brothers, the play is about five secretaries at an Oregon lumberyard who conspire to kill a lumberjack for his clothes. As with all FLB scripts, every character is played by a woman. The show kicks off Cleveland Public Theatre's Big [BOX] series at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday; CPT's at 6415 Detroit Avenue. Tickets are $10; call 216-631-2727. -- Cris Glaser
Bearable Winter
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One of the best things about January is the zoo's month-long Polar Bear Days. Whenever the temperature is 32 degrees or lower, admission gets cut in half -- that means adults get in for $3, kids for $2. As long as WNWV-FM 107.3's weather staff predicts a chilly day during the morning forecast, the price cut stands. And yes, polar bears will be there to greet you. Polar Bear Days start Friday and run through January 31 at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way. It's open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Call 216-661-6500 for more information. -- Michael Gallucci
