|
Man of La Mancha by North Coast Repertory Theatre Hear me heathens and wizards and serpents of sin, all your dastardly doings are past. Don Quixote rides again to battle evil in his noble quest to make the world a better place than as he found it. With both a tremendous story and musical score to work with, Man of La Mancha is difficult to butcher. But it is also difficult to stand out amongst all of the productions of the play done by other theatres. Thanks to an immensely talented ensemble, outstanding scenic design and costumes, and the perfectly intimate and comfortable North Coast Repertory Theatre as the venue, this is surely one of the best San Diego County productions of Man of La Mancha done in recent years. Leading the way is the remarkable Sean Murray as Don Quixote/Cervantes. Sean has that unusual mix of greatness for comedy, drama, and voice. And all three are required for this musical knight errant, at one point a comically foolish old man who mistakes windmills for ogres, the next moment a courageous knight who does not hesitate to risk life and limb to try to make right the un-rightable wrongs. Backing Sean up was some terrific singing by the entire cast, especially Sandy Campbell as Aldonza/Dulcinea. Her rendition of What Does He Want of Me was spellbinding. John Guth as Sancho excelled with his comical expressions and voice in I Like Him, and Dagmar K. Fields was hilarious as the mean Innkeeper's Wife and as the "loyal" Housekeeper in I'm Only Thinking of Him. The strong cast drew us into the story. Brilliant scenic work by Marty Burnett captured the flavor of the dreary Spanish prison, the plain and filthy inn, and the serenity of the inn's courtyard. The costumes by Shelly D. Williams added to the reality. All of that, combined with the closeness of the stage in the small theatre, gave the illusion of truly being with the characters of the play, and a part of both the horrors and the impossible dreams of Don Quixote and Dulcinea. Rob Hopper San Diego Playbill |