For the man of the house this Father’s Day, a must-see is Man of La Mancha by Repertory Philippines, running until 28 June at REP Eastwood Theater, Quezon City.
Top-billed by real-life dad Nonie Buencamino in the titular character, the musical marks Buencamino’s theater comeback into musicals as Alonso Quijano/Don Quixote, a man on a dedicated mission to restore honor, justice and beauty to a world tainted by cynicism and hatred. Buencamino might have been known as a versatile movie and TV actor, but in this play, he exhibited not only his superb acting chops and passion for performing, but also his pitch-perfect vocals and agility as an aging but still strong and engaging artist.
Buencamino is supported by an equally vocally powerful cast, including Katrine Sunga as Don Quixote’s muse Aldonza; Marvin Ong as Don Quixote’s squire Sancho Panza; Tarek El Tayech as Governor/Innkeeper; Alfredo Reyes as Duke/Carrasco; Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante as Antonia; Sarah Facuri as Housekeeper; Steven Hotchkiss as Padre; Julio Laforteza as Pedro/Male Dancer; Dippy Arceo as Jose; Jasper Jimenez as Juan/Barber; Ralph Oliva as Paco; Khalil Tambio as Anselmo; Liway Perez as Maria/Female Dancer and Rafa Sumilong as Captain. JV Fulgencio joins the cast as the Male Swing and Aly Wijangco as the Female Swing.
Bravo to director Nelsito Gomez for bringing to life this world-class proudly Filipino production with the right ingredients and balance between speeches and singing, song and dance, drama and humor, past and present, fantasy and social commentary.
Although the REP stage seems small for such huge display of talents and live orchestration, the one-act representational moving set and props design by Julio Garcia effectively transport the characters in the places that they ought to be. Even lights and shadows are active participants in the storytelling. Of note is the “Knight of the Mirrors” scene that heightens emotions with a powerful mix of glaring lights and vocal exchanges.
Considered as one of the world’s most popular musicals, Man of La Mancha is a soul-stirring and powerful musical experience featuring a fictionalized version of the famed writer Miguel de Cervantes, who is thrown into prison by the Spanish Inquisition and must defend himself against his fellow prisoners. As he takes the persona of Don Quixote through a play, the tale of imagination, chivalry and heroism transforms and touches the people around him. It’s inspired by the Cervantes’ novel “The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha,” often hailed as the “best novel of all time” and the “best and most central work in world literature.”
Though familiar in storyline, REP’s Man of La Mancha stands out from other Don Quixote iterations. It could even be one of REP’s best plays ever. Thus, it is actually regretful that it has some violent scenes that makes it really not suitable for children, although these scenes are totally understandable and realistically mirror the horrors they portray.
The musical premiered on Broadway in 1965 and won five Tony Awards including Best Musical, with book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion. Man of La Mancha is known for introducing the standard, “The Impossible Dream,” the principal song of the show that has become an anthem of hope. With a Spanish-infused score, the musical also features the timeless classics “Dulcinea,” “I, Don Quixote” and “I’m Only Thinking of Him.” Man of La Mancha is a favorite among REP audiences, having been previously staged in 1987 at the Insular Life Theater and in 2005 at Onstage Greenbelt.
The artistic team of REP’s Man of La Mancha includes musical director Farley Asuncion, vocal coach Arman Ferrer, choreographer Jim Ferrer, costume designer Hershee Tantiado, sound designer Kabaitan Bautista and lighting designer and technical director D Cortezano. Tickets are available now for P3,000 for orchestra center and P2,500 for orchestra side via Ticketworld or Ticket2Me.
