For longtime supporters of Repertory Philippines, Dale Wasserman’s “Man of La Mancha” is a familiar tale, having had two performances done in the past. This year, it returns under the direction of Nelsito Gomez and stars Nonie Buencamino as a fictionalized version of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. If there’s one word to describe the two-hour play, it'd be “phenomenal.”

Our story begins with Miguel and his servant being imprisoned in what appears to be an inquisition holding area designed similarly to an immigration detention center. As inmates take an interest in his belongings, Miguel puts up a theatrical performance to keep them from taking his items. In his play, he acts as Alonso Quijano, an old madman who fashions himself as the wannabe knight Don Quixote. Together with his servant, Sancho, Alonso embarks on a misadventure of sorts that lands the duo in all sorts of comedic chaos.

The duo then finds themselves settling down at an inn, which Alonso presumes to be a castle. There, they encounter a rowdy bunch of muleteers, the innkeeper and his wife, and the inn’s eye-catching kitchen maid Aldonza. While all this unfolds, members of the Quijano household try to keep an eye on the old man's antics and ponder how to keep him under control.

Nonie does an excellent job of portraying three drastically different characters in one go. We have the artistic Miguel, the loony Don Quixote, and the ailing Alonso. Every character feels like their own, even if they’re all played by one person. There are times when we feel complete joy over Don Quixote’s beef with windmills, chivalrous beliefs, and well-meaning aloofness in certain situations.

Then, that same joy can turn to sorrow with a snap of the finger, once we see the reality of Alonso’s frail life. His companions, played by Marvin Ong (Sancho) and Katrine Sunga (Aldonza), also provide varied energies in their performance. Marvin handles the slapstick humor of Sancho quite splendidly, whereas Katrine’s Aldonza delivers a good mix of tough and well-meaning. The rest of the cast’s energetic performances as both the inmates and their respective play characters easily captivate the entire room. 

Aside from the compelling performances by the cast, the live accompaniment by the orchestra adds oomph to the play. Musicians help transport us to a different time, with the Flamenco-esque tracks channeling the epic adventure unfolding before our very eyes. There are even humorous moments when characters break the fourth wall by looking over to the band to set the mood.

Worth praising as well is the set design. The cell setup at the start of the play is intriguing to look at. Once the play within a play starts to kick in, the confined spaces of the cell start to break apart as the cell's bars and walls break apart, luring us into the world Miguel has crafted to present to his fellow inmates.