Jake Mace
Strapping himself into a suit of armour he tells us he recently purchased on eBay, performer-puppeteer Dik Downey tells us this will probably be the last show he makes as an actor now in his sixties. Age becomes a pertinent theme in his ambitious adaptation of the infamously contrived and long novel Don Quixote, and across the hour-long performance Downey reflects on the creative process, growing older, and what goes into making a spectacle. It’s a dastardly inventive and playful hour of clowning and storytelling, with a surprisingly touching finale involving ping pong balls.
Downey’s persona on stage tells us he courageously aims to tell over 900 pages of the original novel on stage in just 38 minutes – an aim he is doomed to leave incomplete. Yet as Downey transforms himself into a highly caricaturised version of a foolishly persevering Spanish knight with a full-face mask, we’re instantly put in a place where we want to believe in him.
As a part of Edinburgh’s Manipulate Festival, puppeteering takes up a large part of the piece, and three suitcases that layer the back of the stage are unpacked with an abundance of skilfully crafted pieces that add endless whimsy to Downey’s solo performance. Some puppets magnetically stick to Downey’s suit of armour, while others are paraded around the stage – most impressively the interpretation of Quixote’s famed and encumbered steed Rocinante, the puppet for which was created by Izzy Bristow.
Emma Williams’ tightly observed direction of Downey’s clowning mayhem brings a sense of both play and cohesiveness that makes the hour exceptionally enjoyable. Beyond the underlying aforementioned themes, Downey clearly revels in the opportunity to dabble with the audience’s expectations, including moments of audience interaction that could only be pulled off by by a very talented and likeable clown.
As we move through episodes from the book, Downey’s body is transformed not just into that of Quixote, but even at one point becomes an entire tavern, populated by a series of bizarre characters who interact with Quixote on his noble quest to become the world’s most renowned elder knight. The inventiveness on display in creating different ways of representing new characters is matched with the quality of performance, often leading to belly laughs even at the sight of some new puppets.
As a work that is as much autobiographical as it is an adaptation, there are moments of self-indulgence that leave the audience a little removed. A long section dedicated to Downey’s long-term collaborator Adam Blake feels drawn-out and underexplained. It feels as though we are owed more understanding of why the two’s artistic relationship needs representing in the story, given that Blake is not present at any point so far, and especially when the rest of Downey’s reflective moments focus on much more relatable feelings about being a creative person.
A phenomenally capturing soundscape from composer Simon Preston and Production Manager-Sound Designer Chris Collier wraps all ends of the piece in audible goodness, from the deserts of rural Spain to punctuating those more personal moments. The unity of production design, presented as a ‘slapdash’ creation, with the performance gives a clear and absorbing visual identity of the piece that you’ll struggle not to get sunk into.
With verve and intention, Downey leads us through an odyssey that is as much personal as it is, very creatively, adapting Cervantes’ classic. The visual design and actualisation is phenomenally engrossing, entertaining and enjoyable, while the truths that lie under it all hold well and translate throughout. Whip-smart, laugh-a-minute fun meets a charming presentation and a personable performance.
Recommended Drink: Head over to the Castle Inn and try your best to ask the puppet bartender for an intelligible drink.
Performances of Don Quixote (is a very big book) have now concluded at Manipulate Festival 2026.
Madeleine Martin
Anith Mukherjee
