STAGE REVIEW : THIS ‘MAN OF LA MANCHA’ REALLY HUMORS QUIXOTE

“Man of La Mancha” at Elizabeth Howard’s Curtain Call-Dinner Theatre is an inventive revival brimming with humor. But that doesn’t mean it has abandoned the dreamy idealism at the musical’s heart.

Director John J. Ferola doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of a funny opportunity, and there are plenty in Dale Wasserman’s 1965 show based on Cervantes’ classic story of the Spanish nobleman who rides off to right all wrongs.

The musical is set in a prison (Scott Wedekind’s somber and shadowed staging is very effective), where Cervantes awaits trial on charges that his writing is subversive. With the other prisoners assuming various roles, Cervantes acts out the tilted adventures of Don Quixote and his sidekick, Sancho Panza. But Ferola never forgets that “Man of La Mancha” is essentially a morality fable offering lessons on chivalry, conviction and love by never belittling Quixote or his quest to be true to his ideals. “Man of La Mancha” lives or dies by the strength of the actor in the starring role, and George Champion is up to the challenge. His Quixote is nothing less than heroic, a man whose actions represent the will of a charismatic visionary rather than those of pitiful old man with strange ideas. Champion’s voice is steady throughout, and it is particularly strong as he delivers the show’s anthem, “The Impossible Dream,” which he handles with a dignified restraint. As Sancho Panza, the archetypical second fiddle, James Cast presents a feckless but devoted follower. Without a bravura voice to rely on, Cast wisely emphasizes his acting skills in his portrayal of the silly squire mesmerized by the messianic Quixote. There are many amusing moments in Cast’s performance but, unfortunately, he sometimes overdoes the fidgety mannerisms.

Champion has a good match in Joy Matthews as Aldonza, the kitchen wench who is the reluctant object of Don Quixote’s love. It’s an alternately saucy and sensitive rendering that captures both the character’s gutter origins and her inherent goodness. And Matthews has a wide range as a singer; her talents are especially evident in “What Does He Want of Me?”

The chorus also boasts of some talented singers as well as some sparkling comic ability. Richard Rodgers and James Collins deserve a special salute for playing Quixote’s horse and Panza’s donkey, respectively. Hidden under enormous equine masks created by Martha Hardwick, they are a slapstick pair with a little vaudeville in their breeding.

“Man of La Mancha” runs through Nov. 9 at Elizabeth Howard’s Curtain Call-Dinner Theatre at 690 El Camino Real, Tustin. Call (714) 838-1540 for more information.