Cervantes' hero is not based on a real man. He is not a man of heroic proportions, virile or strong. He is more flawed than godly, yet Quixote, even when vanquished by the mirrors, shows courage, nobility of spirit, honor, and admiration without lust. All are admirable qualities, but perhaps Cervantes saw that these virtues weren't the exclusive domain of knights and warriors. Historically, we know that warriors — now and then — were not always chivalrous.
In the musical, the character Cervantes notes that he has known war and it is not noble, so it seems as no mistake that the main character of his novel is not a great and powerful man, but simply one who attempts to see people at their best and raise the peasants to have noble spirits and ambitions of virtuous and honorable living.
In the beginning, Elliot is a little mannered in his singing and this seems annoying until the character of Cervantes slowly merges into the character of Quixote. As usual, A Noise Within gives a well-executed and thoughtful production with a surprising depth of feeling.
The Boston Court's production of Gilgamesh is an adult fairy tale of lust and adventure and dearly-bought wisdom, while A Noise Within's revival of Man of La Mancha is a fairy tale of what men and women could be if they dared to be brave, face ridicule, and chanced failure. It is a tale where even a doddering old man can inspire nobility of spirit in those with open hearts.
If you don't believe you're too old for fairy tales, both productions have lessons to teach and are done with great style.
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