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Show: Man of La Mancha
Society: London (professional shows)
Venue: London Coliseum, St Martin's Lane, London
Credits: Music by Mitch Leigh, lyrics by Joe Darion and book by Dale Wasserman. Produced by produced by Michael Linnit and Michael Grade
Type: Sardines
Author: Chris Abbott
Performance Date: 30/04/2019
Man of La Mancha
Chris Abbott | 01 May 2019 09:22am
Peter Polycarpou as Sancho Panza, Kelsey Grammer as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha. Photo: Manuel Harlan
Man of La Mancha is the latest in the series of spring musicals at the London Coliseum which have benefitted from the resources and expertise of the English National Opera – and the 30-piece ENO orchestra is the most welcome asset of all. To hear them play the new orchestrations by Conductor David White is a joy, and the music is by far the best part of this rather curious and dated show.
Not seen in London since 1968, this is a long-lost musical that may have been mislaid for good reasons. Director Lonny Price has done his best to bring the story into a more contemporary focus, setting the prison Inquisition scenes in some kind of dystopian far-Right future state. Within this prison, the story told by Cervantes is told with the help of the large hamper of costumes that are incarcerated with him (it may be a despotic state but they allow their prisoners to take lots of luggage into custody).
Initial impressions of the set are good too, with James Noone providing a harsh concrete silo which is in fact, according to the programme, the basement of a museum. When new prisoners arrive, a long staircase descends portentously from the flies and various brave actors attempt the longest walk-down entrance of all time. The costumes from Fotini Dimou fit the bill well, especially when the Don Quixote narrative takes off. However, post-War Horse or even Equus, we expect more than a few ribbons and a nodding mask to turn an actor into a horse.
Leading the cast is Kelsey Grammer, gravely serious as Cervantes and only mildly loopy as his creation. The always reliable Peter Polycarpou is loyal Sancho Panza, although not given much to do. He makes much, however, of his few opportunities such as A Little Gossip in the second act. With even less to play with, Nicholas Lyndhurst is more effective as the Innkeeper than the Governor, in which role he has to stand to one side on stage for interminable lengths of time, perhaps looking ahead with some trepidation to the moment when he has to sing The Knight of the Woeful Countenance. As might be expected, the best singing in the production comes from Danielle de Niese as the unrequited love interest; a full-throated performance in a difficult role. Impossible Dream is really Don Quixote’s song but it is not surprising that on this occasion Dulcinea sings it at the close of the show.
Among a strong and diverse supporting cast and ensemble, Minal Patel is a very effective Padre. The ensemble come into their own with a vigorous gypsy dance and some convincing fight scenes. They also do their best with the appalling rape to music which Dulcinea suffers in Act II, one of the many ways in which we are reminded this is a show from another time. The Knight of the Mirrors sequence is strikingly set with angled mirrors and highly reflective armour, but blinding most of those in the stalls.
Not a great rediscovery then and only a mildly diverting evening at the theatre, despite the hard work of cast and creative team. Shows like Man of La Mancha need rewriting as well as rethinking if they are to speak to contemporary audiences.
- : admin
- : 30/04/2019