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Quxote Venue 7 – The
Conservatory
In this one man play, Erik de Waal
plays a psychiatric patient who has come to believe that he is Sancho Panza, Don Quixote's
squire in Cervantes’ classic story. The man who he believes
himself to be the servant of is, in turn, an ordinary Spanish gentleman who
has come to believe he is a knight-errant named Don Quixote. These twin
delusions play well into the theme of truth and illusion which is developed
over the course of the play. de Waal is a wonderful story teller whose piercing gaze and
resonant voice grasp the attention of the audience, easily drawing them into
his narrative. His supposed recollections of Don Quixote (actual
episodes from the book), are so vivid that one could easily believe that he
actually lived through them. Also compelling is the dramatic tension of
his character as he wrestles with whether to continue in his delusion, or end
it and thereby becoming sane. By the time de Waal
concludes with his impassioned plea to keep the Quixote spirit alive in
humankind, the emotional connection with the audience has been made in
spades. This is an excellent play that not only entertains, but offers
something for the mind as well. - Terry Moor UMFM |
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