Hannah Hamilton
The quest is to dream the impossible. Dik Downey – actor, clown, and puppeteer – reckons with the twilight of his career through the journey of Don Quixote. He could not have picked a more perfect piece to draw inspiration from; a tale either of a heroic fool, or a foolish hero, depending on who you ask. The stage contains a circle of sand, Downey begins by strapping himself in a suit of armour, telling the audience about his career and his life. This will be the last show he creates, he tells us, a show where he will condense 800 pages of one of literature into less than an hour of theatre…then he enters the circle as Don Quixote.
There is something magnificent about his presence, and about the magnitude of the task. The show gives us several brief tableaux of Quixote in action, accompanied by superb sound design, building the idea of an epic quest in our minds without needing to excessively drill the essence of the character. After all Don Quixote is a Very Big Book and this show is only 55 minutes long; some shorthand is required. Still, the brief is an unattainable feat, thematically apt because Quixote, in the end, renounces the knightly identity he sought so hard to secure. This isn’t a show about a black and white sort of success, this is altogether more complicated and beautiful.
A lone actor, dressed as an ageing knight, struggles to get to his feet in the ridiculous knightly footwear he has placed upon himself. It is silly and it is hilarious, but it’s also somewhat relatable. Quixote struggles with an issue he created for himself. It’s terribly endearing to watch as the knight charges bravely into trouble of his own making. The fixings of a typical hero are found through the story, the audience meets his beloved steed, Rocinante, and also his squire, Sancho. These are both beautifully crafted puppets, with Rocinante having a particularly intriguing design that allowed for a wandering tongue. A group of tavern patrons mock Quixote, all of whom are played by Downey, and a hilarious interaction with the innkeepers is cleverly portrayed by magnetic puppets stuck to his armour. He is both the performer and the performance space.
In asides, Downey interjects with his own thoughts and commentary on the story, he talks lovingly about the puppets and their conception, and about previous shows he has performed. There’s a parallel between the life of a performer and that of a knight that is quite satisfying. Both hold lofty ideals, and have grand ideas about what one should do to truly be a knight/artist. After a few key scenes unfold, and Downey comes to terms with the impossibility of his task, the show begins to reach it’s emotional crescendo. Don Quixote, who had been so taken with the grandeur of being a knight and upholding chivalry above all else, dies a regular man, as he began (I’d have warned of a spoiler, but the book was published in 1615, you had your chance). Downey does not read this as a tragedy, as I agree it is not, but rather as a triumph. He concludes with his own triumph in a truly impressive ping pong ball stunt.
This was a beautiful show, it is aesthetically and thematically glorious. Downey dreams the impossible into life with care and expert craft to make a show that is altogether touching, and truly heroic.
Recommended drink: Mezcal margarita, something fun but also complex.
Catch Don Quixote (Is A Very Big Book) at King Dome at Pleasance Dome from 5-31 August at 15.25 (55 mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Isobel Jacob
Esme Davis
Shay Mace
