#magic alonso strikes again guys!!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

greyheartedmoon · 6 years

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Man from La Mancha

Okay guys. I know I just had a lengthy anon post, but this is weighing on me, and I want to talk about it. For deeply personal reasons, I’ve had a strong connection with this show.

The show opens on Don Miguel de Cervantes, who has been imprisoned by the Spanish Inquisition. He’s a poet. The other prisoners mock him, claiming he must face Trial from his fellow prisoners to decide his innocence or guilt. In truth, they are much enraptured by the large chest the Don (in prison for the decision to close a wealthy monastery) has brought with him. The Don agrees, but asks his defense take the form of a charade. The Governor, the prisoners’ leader, agrees, intrigued, and the prisoners settle in to enjoy the story. Cervantes will assign each prisoner a role in the proceedings to ingratiate them into the story.

Don Miguel opens the chest to reveal makeup and costumes, transforming himself into the plain Alonso Quijano. Quijano has set aside the heavy burden of sanity and undertaken to become Don Quixote. Quinjano has chosen his dream, and will thereafter fight (in the persona of Don Quixote) to become a knight-errant. (Opening/I, Don Quixote) With his trusty squire, Sancho Panza, he sets out for adventure.

At an Inn, the Tavern wench and whore, Aldonza, sings with sardonic humor of her own (miserable) life. She laments that all men are the same, that no man will shine in the darkness when he beds her. She is a wild creature, furious - but unbroken. (It’s All the Same) She is much taken with the sweet, genuine ballad of Don Quixote, who claims she is the noble Lady Dulcinea and that he will love her forevermore.

The other men of the Tavern (erstwhile customers of the low-born Aldonza) mock Don Quixote, who will not be dissuaded from his love and claim. (Dulcinea) In particular, Don Quixote marks clear almost immediately that the purpose of his “delusion” is not only for himself; but to be able to tell others of their worth and magic. All humans have a place in heroics, in adventure, in human kindness. The men with money in their pockets are unimpressed and cruel; Aldonza, the poor whore, feels human and hopeful for the first time. The words are real because they have come from Don Quixote, who believes them with all his heart.

Cervantes leaves our hero at the Tavern and visits the family of Don Quixote--or, in particular, Alonso Quijiano. The family has congregated at the local church, where they confer with one another on imprisoning the Don for his madness. Using the cover of “Christian Charity”, they intend to return the Don Alsono home, continually reassuring one another that they are only thinking of him. (I’m only thinking of him) Instead, it is brutally clear they are only thinking of themselves, and have wholeheartedly dismissed the purpose of Don Quixote’s dreams and quest. In particular, Alonso’s niece sends her cold-hearted betrothed to retrieve him.

For the betrothed, a Doctor, Cervantes chooses the most cold and cynical of all the prisoners. In-scene, the Doctor sings of his intentions to destroy Don Alonso’s dream and “delusion” of nobility. (We’re only thinking of him) More than any of the “concerned”, the Doctor is convinced that the entire affair is useless, and that the only explanation for such a quest can be madness.

Back at the Tavern, the bemused Aldonza asks Santo why he follows the mysterious Don Quixote. The dimwitted Santo cannot find words other than that he respects his master, failing to express his temerity and loyalty to the Quixote. (I really like him) Frustrated and confused at his answer, Alondza leaves the Tavern to think.

Alone, she muses over Don Quixote’s strange vision, bemoaning his delusion, but clearly impressed with his determination, nobility, and kindness. Afraid she will never fulfill the role the handsome Don has wished upon her, Aldonza is therefore convinced that kindness such as this must come at a cost, but is enticed regardless. (What does he want of me?)

While she thinks, the other men corner her in the courtyard. Aldonza’s most frequent customer, Pedro, sings his own version of love, but cannot see her as she truly is. Sad in her heart, she accepts his assignation for later that evening. (Little bird, little bird.)

Meanwhile, a Barber delights in his profession, carrying his shaving basin down the street. Don Quixote confiscates the basin from the bemused barber, claiming it to be the Golden Helmet of Mambrino. The helmet can protect men from damage, and Don Quixote swears he will bring the legend of the helmet greater glory. (Barber’s song/Golden Helmet of Mambrino) The Doctor has arrived, but cannot force Don Quixote to abandon his quest. Troubled by the Don’s convictions and quality, he falters over his cause of “curing” Quixote’s “delusion” (To each his Dulcinea).

Don Quixote, who has mistaken the Tavern’s owner for a Nobleman, stands vigil in the courtyard for the night. Alondza visits him, and tries to get him to see “reason”, but is instead moved to tenderness by the Knight’s description of his life and dream (the Impossible Quest). Pedro, who has grown tired of waiting for the beautiful Aldonza to attend him (ahem), strikes her. Outraged, Don Quixote attacks both Pedro and the other bar-goers. With help from the brave Aldonza and stout Santo, the battle is won. (The Combat).

The Innkeeper, while impressed, banishes the Don from the Inn, but is also moved; “Knighting” Don Quixote (Knight of the Woeful Countenance). The Innkeep swears he will recall the brave Don Quixote everafter, not because the Don is strong or fierce, but rather because the Innkeeper has been called Noble, and thereafter became so.

Don Quixote insists the losers are treated with courtesy, as is due from chivalry; Aldonza, taken with his dream and ideals, offers to do it on Quixote’s behalf, but is assaulted by the furious men (the abduction).

In the prison, the other prisoners attack Cervantes for pretending this dream will help any of them. What good is a man like Don Quixote to condemned convicts?

When she returns, she savages Don Quixote’s useless dream, attempting to return him to reason by mocking and attacking him (Aldonza), but fails: Don Quixote, seeing her radiance, love, and courage, can only vocalize that she is his Lady.

The difficulty is not that Don Quixote does not see her, but rather that he sees her too well, and loves her as she truly is: not a whore, but a woman, not a working hooker, but a gift from the Heavens.

The Knight of the Mirror (the Doctor) appears. On the pretense of further attacking Quixote’s beloved Dulcinea, the doctor and his many assistants force the brave Don Quixote into the middle of a circle of mirrored Shields. Thus, forcing the Don’s illusion to shatter. The doctor attacks and defiles the noble Don for his own selfish purposes, calling him a madman and delusional, but is successful: the man crumples in the street.

Santo visits Alonso tries to lighten his heart, and Alonso opens his eyes (a little gossip). Alonso has no memory of his time as the brave Knight, Don Quixote, instead giving it up as a dream. He is gravely ill. Alonso is surprised when Aldonza, who he no longer knows, forces herself to his sickbed. She begs him to see her as Dulcinea again; but Alonso does not remember. “...You spoke to me... and everything was different... and you looked at me, and called me another name...”

She sings the Don’s ballad, Dulcinea, to Alonso, who leaps from his sickbed, overjoyed. Deeply in love, he sings to her of his dream once more, but falls dead.

Cervantes declares the story finished; but recants after the furious convicts move to harm him.

At Alonso’s funeral, Aldonza tells a miserable Santo that though Alonso is gone, Don Quixote will live forever; and the dreams he made for them will exist everafter. Santo begins to tell her goodbye, but she insists he call her... Dulcinea. For Aldonza, the confused whore, is no more.

Back in the Prison, Cervantes is called for his own turn at the Inquisition block, the true Trial. The woman who played Aldonza/Dulcinea enters; mournfully, she and the other prisoners sing of the Impossible Dream. Even to their Death, they pursue the magic of the ages with the resolve of heroes--or a Knight.

And the show ends.

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