Written, translated and adapted by Jason Yancey

Volume 5, Issue 3 (Spring 2015)

In the second book of his adventures Don Quijote twice crosses paths with stage performers, and neither encounter ends well for our hero. First, in chapter eleven, he meets a company of traveling actors on the road to their next show, still wearing their allegorical costumes of Devil, Angel, Death and so forth. Finding himself plunged into a bizarre procession of unlikely apparitions, the easily confounded Don Quijote struggles to separate the actual from the artifice. “Por la fe de caballero andante,” he exclaims, “que así como vi este carro imaginé que alguna grande aventura se me ofrecía, y ahora digo que es menester tocar las apariencias con la mano para dar lugar al desengaño” (520). A similar mixing and muddling occurs later in chapter twenty-six when, during Maese Pedro’s puppet show, an enraged Don Quijote lunges into the stage and, as the narrator tells us, “con acelerada y nunca vista furia comenzó a llover cuchilladas sobre la tierra morisma, derribando a unos, descabezando a otros, estropeando a éste, destrozando a aquél,” thereby destroying the entire scene and nearly injuring its astounded puppeteer (620). In both instances Don Quijote demonstrates gravitation toward the theatrical that ultimately proves so hostile that Sancho must step in and separate the two. As the traveling actors reach menacingly for stones to pelt both knight and squire, Sancho pulls his master aside and warns, “[…] tome mi consejo, que es que nunca se tome con farsantes, que es gente favorecida” (522). Actors, in Sancho’s experience, are dangerous and one would do well to avoid them.

In true Cervantine fashion of overlapping and blurred frames, this warning to maintain a safe distance from the theatre appears to have spilled off the page and into real life. Despite the novel’s unquestionable theatricality, Don Quijote on stage rarely lives up to its literary namesake. In fact, Dale Wasserman, author and playwright behind the Broadway musical Man of la Mancha, characterized adaptive efforts this way:

I was aware that there had been dozens, perhaps even hundreds of such attempts —plays, operas, ballet, puppet shows, movies— every dramatic form possible. I was also aware that they had one thing in common: they failed. […] Trying to compress this book into a neat dramatic structure was like trying to force a lake into a bucket —ambitious but impractical. (125-26)

Wasserman’s grim observation will not likely surprise any reader familiar with the Quijote. Simply put, the novel is a Gordian Knot put into print, something the narrator describes as a “rastrillado, torcido y aspado hilo” (225), whose great size and complexity help affirm its place among the greatest works in the literary canon while simultaneously resisting untangling by would-be adaptors, no matter how ambitious.

Nevertheless, the unquestionable success of Man of La Mancha shows that the knotted narrative can be undone given a suitably Alexandrian approach. Consider, for example, Wasserman’s musings on the novel’s readership:

It was clear that Don Quijote was all things to all people, and that not two of them could ever agree on its meanings. In that, perhaps, lay the power of the book. Each reader seemed to have read something different, something shaped by the attributes which the reader brought as personal baggage. No two people with whom I have ever had a discussion seemed to have read the same book. No two could agree on a precise meaning. One suspects that this may be the most potent reason for the enduring success of the novel—that each may take from it the meaning that he personally chooses. (126)

Wasserman credits this observation, “that each may take from it the meaning that he personally chooses,” with allowing him to see “a single, personally meaningful line from the text which revealed the secret of how a dramatization might be accomplished” (126). In essence, by cutting through the seemingly endless tangle of story threads the novel had to offer, Wasserman was able to extract a thread that told the story he wished to share with his audience, one about multiple identities and social role-playing, and use that thread to weave an adaptation of his choosing.

The play that follows represents one such thread I teased out from my reading of Cervantes’s classic tale. It is not the Quijote or anything approaching such. I would not even go as far to say it is my vision of the Quijote. At best, this adaptation represents just one of the many tangled, intertwined stories from the novel that appeal to me as a reader, playwright and scholar, one I wished to share with my audience.

As I took up my metaphorical sword to cut and shape this story, I found my Wasserman moment in Maese Pedro’s puppet show. More than just a personal favorite, to me the episode presents a microcosm of Cervantine brilliance; chivalric madness and overlapping narrative frames that burst into comic spectacle. Adapting this thread in the Quijote knot for the stage it seemed only natural to show puppets playing puppets.

I also considered the background of two separate groups of people that would be served by this adaptation. First, I imagined an audience of children in an elementary school setting, kids who probably did not understand Spanish and possessed little to no familiarity with the Quijote. For this group I hoped to offer an engaging, comical, action-driven introduction to Spanish and to Cervantes’s misguided knight, one that would encourage them to want to learn more. To this I added a second audience of students and faculty at the university who spoke Spanish and had a firm enough understanding of the Quijote so as to recognize subtle references to events and characters detailed in the story. For this group I hoped to incorporate the beauty and flavor of the original language, certain nuances of the characters and their relationships, and utilize some of the narrative innovations frequently cited as evidence of the first modern novel.

Though adapting a nearly 1,000-page book into a 30-minute puppet show required a truly Alexandrian amount of cutting, leaving insufficient room for other wonderful threads, such as Don Quijote’s encounters with Marcela, the Dukes or Maritornes, ultimately I hoped to create an adaptation that remained faithful, if not identical, to the core values of the original.

Furthermore, this work benefitted from nearly a year of intense workshop and production by students and faculty at Grand Valley State University, in Allendale, MI. During the summer 2013 I personally designed and built nine “Muppet-style” puppets, as well as a multitude of props and scenery. Later, with a cast of four student puppeteers (Caleb Duckworth, Katie Munoz, Russell Cerda and Lindsey Viviano) we rehearsed the very complex and physically demanding show over a period of two months. On October 19, 2013, the show gave a debut performance to a packed house on the GVSU campus where it was very well received. Over the next several months, members of the company travelled to venues in the Grand Rapids area, Buena Vista University (Storm Lake, Iowa. 2013), Meredith College (Raleigh, North Carolina. 2013), Southern Indiana University (Evansville, Indiana. 2014), and Michigan State University (Lansing, Michigan. 2014), giving live performances, attending film screenings and conducting puppetry workshops. Additionally the project was shared at scholarly symposia for the Association for Hispanic Classical Theatre (El Paso, Texas. 2014), and the International Society of Luso-Hispanic Humor Studies (Honolulu, Hawaii. 2014).

In a way, my involvement with this work became its own “rastrillado, torcido y aspado hilo,” a Gordian Knot within academia. What began as simple scholarship, a collection of scenes translated and adapted from a seventeenth-century text, grew to entangle university students in a high-impact learning experience that later spread into communities, with each participant, like both Don Quijote and his readers, confronting and discovering personal meaning in the journey.

Works Cited

Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de. El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha. Ed. by Salvador Fajardo and James Parr. Pegasus: Asheville, NC, 1998.

Wasserman, Dale. “Don Quixote as Theatre.” Cervantes: Bulletin of the Cervantes Society of America. 19.1 (1999): 125-30.

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616) was a novelist, playwright and poet hailing from Spain’s fabled “Golden Age” of art and literature. He is best known as the author of El Ingenioso hidalgo, don Quijote de La Mancha, a self-described satire of chivalric romances and a cautionary tale for their readers. Originally published in two parts (1605 and 1615), the story follows the diluted knight-errant Don Quijote and his faithful squire Sancho Panza on noble quests that repeatedly end in comic misadventures. The novel enjoyed tremendous popularity in Spain and abroad, bringing fame, if not fortune, to its creator. During the 400 years that have followed, scholars and writers frequently regard Don Quijote as not only the first modern novel but also the greatest work of fiction ever written.

Jason Yancey is an Assistant Professor of Spanish at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI. A puppeteer, director and Spanish theater scholar, he received a PhD in Hispanic Literature from the University of Arizona in 2009 and has directed plays in Spanish by Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina, Calderón de la Barca and María de Zayas. His 2005 production of El caballero de Olmedo, produced by Brigham Young University, opened the 2005 Chamizal Siglo de Oro Drama Festival, in El Paso, TX, and his world-first translation/adaptation of Tirso’s Antona García debuted there in 2012. He serves as a board member of the Association for Hispanic Classical Theater (AHCT), and curates the organization’s extensive film archive of Golden Age stage performances. Since arriving at GVSU Professor Yancey has created a one-of-a-kind Spanish puppetry course that teaches students to write, produce and perform original puppet theater for local Spanish immersion elementary schools.

 

Quijóteres: The Ingenious Puppet Don Quijote de la Mancha

BASED ON THE NOVEL

El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de La Mancha

BY MIGUEL DE CERVANTES SAAVEDRA

 

LIST OF CHARACTERS

Miguel de CERVANTES

DON QUIJOTE

ROCINANTE (non-speaking)

MUJER

LABRADOR

SANCHO PANZA

PASTOR

SANSÓN CARRASCO

MAESE PEDRO

GAIFEROS

REY MARSILIO (non-speaking)

MELISENDRA (non-speaking)

WINDMILL (non-speaking)

 

Though not explicitly required, the production is designed to be staged with puppets by a minimum of four puppeteers in the following roles: 

ACTOR 1	ACTOR 2	ACTOR 3	ACTOR 4
Don Quijote	Sancho Panza Rocinante	Cervantes Labrador (Sheep) Gaiferos Rey Marsilio Melisendra Windmill	Mujer Pastor Sansón Carrasco Maese Pedro

 

This play was first performed on October 19, 2013, at Grand Valley State University, in Allendale, Michigan, featuring:

ACTOR 1:  Caleb Duckworth

ACTOR 2:  Katie Munoz

ACTOR 3:  Russell Cerda

ACTOR 4:  Lindsay Viviano

Directed by Jason Yancey

 

SCENE 1

Introduction to Don Quijote

(See chapters 1.1 and 1.21)

(Enter CERVANTES with a quill pen and old parchment-looking paper. He speaks as he writes, with great flourish)

CERVANTES

En un lugar de la Mancha, de cuyo nombre no quiero acordarme, no ha mucho tiempo que vivía un hidalgo de los de lanza en astillero, adarga antigua, rocín flaco y galgo corredor. The name of this poor fellow was Quijada.

(DON QUIJOTE appears behind him upstage)

DON QUIJOTE

Quijote!

CERVANTES

Or maybe it was Quesada.

DON QUIJOTE

Are you kidding me? Quesada sounds like a stinky cheese! My name is Quijote!

CERVANTES

Many historians agree your name was Alonso Quijana.

DON QUIJOTE

Yo sé quien soy and I am not Alonso Quijano! I am the ilustre Don Quijote de la Mancha!

CERVANTES

Fine! Quijote.

(DON QUIJOTE, satisfied, begins to act out the events described by CERVANTES)

CERVANTES

The story goes that this curious hidalgo spent all his time reading books about brave and virtuous knights in shining armor who battled dragons and wizards to rescue beautiful maidens. Day after day, night after night he read these tales of adventure, until, after so much reading and so little sleep, his brain dried up altogether and something inside of him snapped!

DON QUIJOTE

La razón de la sinrazón que a mi razón se hace, de tal manera que mi razón enflaquece.

CERVANTES

Madness caused him to see enchanted kingdoms, impossible quests, and terrible villains all around him. Unable to separate the stories in his mind from real life, he believed it necessary to become a knight himself and venture out into the world, where he would achieve fame and eternal glory. First, like any good knight, he needed armor.

(He notices DON QUIJOTE busily working on something upstage and somewhat obscured from view)

What are you doing?

DON QUIJOTE

I am building my armor.

(He continues working for a moment before emerging with a large, ridiculous-looking newspaper hat on his head)

Behold and tremble at my glory!

CERVANTES

What’s that on your head?

DON QUIJOTE

Dost thou not recognize a knight with his helmet?

CERVANTES

A helmet out of newspaper?

DON QUIJOTE

Tis enchanted armor of the finest craftsmanship forged on the island of Malindrania.

CERVANTES

The headline here says that it was “forged” last week.

DON QUIOJTE

You are mistaken, sir.

CERVANTES

I’m not kidding, a gust of wind or a light rain would defeat it.

DON QUIJOTE

T’would not and I shall prove it now herewith.

(He hands a sword to CERVANTES) 

CERVANTES

What’s this?

DON QUIJOTE

Have at me thou disbelieving wretch! Strike my head if you wish, for none shall prevail against the fabled armadura de Trapisonda!

CERVANTES

I’m not going to hit you.

DON QUIJOTE

Cobarde! Deny me not the fury of thy puny arm!

CERVANTES

Puny? I’ll have you know I fought Turkish pirates in the Battle of Lepanto!

DON QUIJOTE

I do not fear thee! Did Amadis de Gaula flee before the giant, Endriago? He did not! Did the great campeador El Cid tremble during the battle of Sagrajas? No, señor! Did the Caballero de la Ardiente Espada—

(CERVANTES, either taunted into proving his strength or hoping to put an end to DON QUIJOTE’s ridiculous tirade, gives the man what he wants and clonks him on the head with the sword, sending him hurtling offstage. DON QUIJOTE returns, somewhat staggering, cradling the tattered remains of his “helmet-hat”)

DON QUIJOTE

It took me a week to build that helmet.

CERVANTES

I tried to warn you.

DON QUIJOTE

Tis no matter. (Continues speaking as he exits) A knight is prepared to defend himself against every stratagem of his opponent. You may have overcome the fabled armadura de Trapisonda but I shall defeat thee at last with the marvelous, the legendary—

(DON QUIJOTE reappears, this time wearing a large cooking pot, handle and all, on his head)

—Yelmo de Mambrino!

(CERVANTES pauses to take in the ridiculous sight and then bursts into laughter)

DON QUIJOTE

¿De qué te ríes, señor?

CERVANTES

That’s your helmet? Oh, I get it… you’ll need it to protect your noodle! (Still laughing) It really is a stirring sight to behold! I can barely handle its greatness!

(The laughter continues but DON QUIJOTE is clearly not amused)

DON QUIJOTE

You may recognize this casco, señor, as the very helmet of purest gold made for the Moorish king Mambrino himself and won in combat by Reinaldos de Montalbán.

CERVANTES

It’s enormous. He probably used it to feed his entire army!

DON QUIJOTE

Mambrino must have had a very large head.

CERVANTES

(Interrupting his laughter with a brilliant idea) Maybe you should test it again?

(CERVANTES raises the sword in his hand causing DON QUIJOTE to flinch instinctively)

DON QUIJOTE

No need, señor. I am wholly satisfied with its superior quality.

(DON QUIJOTE begins to leave)

CERVANTES

Where are you going now?

DON QUIJOTE

If I am to journey across Spain battling evil, I shall require a noble steed for my quest.

CERVANTES

(Shouting after him) Are you sure you aren’t headed for the kitchen?

(DON QUIJOTE pauses to shout offstage)

DON QUIJOTE

(With all the majesty of a magician) Rocinante!

(ROCINANTE explodes into the scene. He is the skinniest, most pathetic excuse for a horse imaginable. Comically disproportioned and with a vacant expression impressive only for its stupidity, ROCINANTE is the antithesis of a noble anything. But what he lacks in physique he makes up for in unbridled energy. He clumsily darts to and fro with a whiney reminiscent of a dying cat and stumbling so violently that he nearly tramples the two men on the spot)

DON QUIJOTE

Come hither, capitán ilustre, and greet your master!

(After some persuasion, and some help from CERVANTES, ROCINANTE approaches DON QUIJOTE who prepares to mount him as grand and ceremoniously as the knights of his imagination. ROCINANTE will have none of this and a brief cat-and-mouse game ensues before he succumbs to his master’s intentions.)

DON QUIJOTE

¡Oh princesa Dulcinea señora deste cautivo corazón!

CERVANTES

Where are you going?

DON QUIJOTE

Step aside, señor, for yonder lays a world rife with sin and villainy.

CERVANTES

Those are just kids watching the puppet show.

DON QUIJOTE

Villains, I say! Giants and witches and fiends!

CERVANTES

Now hold on just a minute—

DON QUIJOTE

I shall defeat them all with glory and honor.

CERVANTES

Are you sure that’s a good idea?

DON QUIJOTE

Onward, Rocinante! ¡Para la honra de Dulcinea!

(No sooner does DON QUIJOTE set his spurs to the charge but the horse wobbles, trips and collapses with a flourish of commotion, tossing his rider into CERVANTES, who is knocked offstage in the chaos. ROCINANTE charges away with DON QUIJOTE following frantically behind him)

 

SCENE 2

Don Quijote’s First Adventure

(see chapter 1.4)

(Two peasants, LABRADOR and MUJER enter, casually walking and arguing with each other. Suddenly ROCINANTE explodes onto the scene, followed by DON QUIJOTE. Oblivious to the pair on foot, both man and horse trample the travelling peasants. ROCINANTE exits, leaving his master behind)

LABRADOR

Hey! Watch where you’re going, pal!

MUJER

You’re gonna squish somebody!

 (LABRADOR helps pick MUJER up off the ground and they dust themselves off. Finally noticing, DON QUIJOTE approaches the couple with great fanfare and ceremony)

DON QUIJOTE

¡Todo el mundo se tenga!

(LABRADOR and MUJER look around to see whom DON QUIJOTE might be addressing)

LABRADOR

Who me?

DON QUIJOTE

Indeed, I address thee, good sir knight.

MUJER

Knight? You think he’s a knight? Boy, your brain must be scrambled in that pot of yours.

(She laughs)

LABRADOR

Hey what’s so funny? I could be a knight.

MUJER

Yeah right. It would take a magic spell to turn you into anything but a toad.

DON QUIJOTE

So, madam, you are a sorceress!

(MUJER reacts with offense at the accusation)

MUJER

Sorceress? Look, señor, I’m a good cristiana vieja—

LABRADOR

Sorceress! Now who’s laughing!

(LABRADOR starts to laugh)

MUJER

You think that’s funny? Why don’t I just magically rearrange your face!

(She lunges at him and the two start to squabble)

DON QUIJOTE

Fear not, noble sir, I, Don Quijote de La Mancha, have taken an oath against evil and shall come to your aid against this hideous witchcraft!

(At the word “hideous” the pair come to their senses)

MUJER

Hideous?

LABRADOR

Did he just call you ugly?

MUJER

I think he did!

(Finally in agreement again, they begin to approach DON QUIJOTE menacingly)

DON QUIJOTE

I warn thee, foul conjurer, by the code of chivalry, by the grace of Dulcinea, thou shalt suffer defeat at mine hand!

LABRADOR

Try suffering this!

(The pair comically pounce on DON QUIJOTE and leave him battered onstage. ROCINANTE returns briefly, charging across the stage and trampling his master again before exiting)

DON QUIJOTE

Non fuyáis, gente cobarde, gente cautiva! Tis not mine but the fault of my horse that I lay here! Non fuyáis, I say!

 

SCENE 3

Don Qujote Meets Sancho Panza

(see chapters 1.5 and 1.7)

(The wounded DON QUIJOTE continues to shout insults at the now long-gone LABRADOR, MUJER and ROCINANTE while struggling painfully to get to his feet)

DON QUIJOTE

¿Dónde estáis, Dulcinea, que no te duele mi mal?
 O no lo sabes, señora,
o eres falsa y desleal?

(SANCHO PANZA enters, having overheard the previous commotion. He sees the injured DON QUIJOTE and rushes to his aid)

SANCHO PANZA

Señor Quijana, is that you?

DON QUIJOTE

Quijote!

SANCHO PANZA

Bless you!

DON QUIJOTE

My name, it is Quijote!

SANCHO PANZA

Quesda, that’s what it is!

DON QUIJOTE

Not Quesda! I am—

SANCHO PANZA

No, Quesada sounds like a stinky cheese?

DON QUIJOTE

I am the great and noble knight, Don Quijote de La Mancha.

SANCHO PANZA

(Taking in a whiff of DON QUIJOTE) Well, you are what you eat.

DON QUIJOTE

Art thou the Marqués de Mantua, come now to aid me in fearsome battle against this villano cruel?

SANCHO PANZA

¿Marqués? Mire, vuestra merced, I’m your neighbor, Sancho Panza.

DON QUIJOTE

My neighbor Sancho, you say? Then you are not from Mantua?

SANCHO PANZA

Mantua? Pecador de mí! I’ve lived right here my whole life. And so have you. What happened to you?

DON QUIJOTE

Tis but a scratch, my friend. You needn’t worry, for such is the life of a caballero andante along his journey to fame and fortune.

SANCHO PANZA

Did you say fortune?

DON QUIJOTE

I did.

SANCHO PANZA

What kind of fortune?

DON QUIJOTE

The fortune of a knight such as myself is to triumph over those who would do evil, to bring honor to my lady fair, to take up letras y armas, to suffer and to sacrifice for a higher cause, to—

(SANCHO begins to leave)

SANCHO PANZA

Bah! Who needs all that stuff? I thought you meant money.

DON QUIJOTE

Oh there is plenty of that to be had, my friend. Gold! Jewels! Extravagant feasts! Medals of honor! Titles of nobility! Why, the great Palmerín de Oliva was crowned as king over the empire of Constantinopla!

(SANCHO can hardly speak he is so overcome with excitement)

DON QUIJOTE

Of course, these material possessions matter not to a caballero. He thinks only of the justice of his cause and the virtue of his lady.

SANCHO PANZA

Sure, but what about the people that help the knight?

DON QUIJOTE

You mean the escuderos?

SANCHO PANZA

Yeah, the squires. Do they get some of this fortune?

DON QUIJOTE

Certainly. According to the código de honra, they may partake in whatever spoils of victory they wish.

SANCHO PANZA

Very well, I accept!

DON QUIJOTE

What?

SANCHO PANZA

You need me. Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres. You can’t be a real knight without a squire.

DON QUIJOTE

But it’ll be painful—

SANCHO PANZA

No pain, no gain!

DON QUIJOTE

And difficult—

SANCHO PANZA

When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

DON QUIJOTE

We’ll get very little sleep—

SANCHO PANZA

The early bird gets the worm!

DON QUIJOTE

We could be gone for years—

SANCHO PANZA

Rome wasn’t built in a day!

DON QUIJOTE

You are very insistent.

SANCHO PANZA

Heaven helps those who help themselves.

DON QUIJOTE

But will your actions speak louder than your words?

SANCHO PANZA

Only time will tell.

DON QUIJOTE

(Mulling the possibility over in his mind) Well, beggars can’t be choosers—

SANCHO PANZA

Speaking of beggars, what does this squire job pay?

DON QUIJOTE

(Still thinking out loud to himself) And they say that no man is an island—

SANCHO PANZA

(Ecstatic) A whole island? Are you kidding?

DON QUIJOTE

Island? What? No! I meant—

SANCHO PANZA

Wow! My own island! One man’s trash really is another man’s treasure!

DON QUIJOTE

But—

SANCHO PANZA

Imagine it, su majestad Sancho Panza, with tables of food and governor of toda la ínsula!

DON QUIJOTE

(Relenting) If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. (With great ceremony) I hereby bestow upon you, Sancho Panza, the singular honor of accompanying the illustrious knight, Don Quijote de La Mancha, as his squire in arms.

 

SCENE 4

The Sheep Battle

(see chapter 1.18)

(The great sound of a large herd of sheep grows louder and louder from offstage)

DON QUIJOTE

But soft, Sancho! Dost thou hear the approaching sound?

SANCHO PANZA

(Pausing to listen) What is it, señor?

(In the background we begin to see the commotion of sheep on the move. The din of the bleating, stomping herd becomes louder and more distinct, including very clearly audible “baaa” noises that periodically interrupt and accentuate the conversation. Each time DON QUIJOTE speaks we see the soldiers, banners and battles of his imagination, engaged in fierce combat. When SANCHO speaks the cloud of knights reverts back into a simple herd of sheep)

DON QUIJOTE

The charge of horses. The rattle of steel. The shouts of valor. It is the march of a terrible army surging onto the battlefield!

SANCHO PANZA

An army? Are you sure? It sounds more like… like… sheep.

DON QUIJOTE

Clearly you are a simple man, Sancho, unaccustomed to the adventurous life. Tis an army, I say. I am sure of it. Do you not see the great cloud of dust?

SANCHO PANZA

I know seeing is believing but those are just sheep—

DON QUIJOTE

See there the great emperor, Alifanfarón, clashing swords with his mortal enemy, the malevolent Garamantas.

SANCHO PANZA

(Struggling to see) Para mis barbas, señor. I don’t see Ali-anybody or, or Gara-what’s-his-face.

DON QUIJOTE

See now, advancing from the flank, the valiant Micocolembo, el gran duque de Quirocia! And over there! Tis Brandababaran de Boliche, señor de las tres Arabias!

SANCHO PANZA

Micro-bra-bra-bra-what? Voto a dios, they all look like sheep to me!

DON QUIJOTE

Your fear, Sancho, surely clouds your senses. By the vows of knighthood I am honor-bound to aid in this great struggle! Step aside!

SANCHO PANZA

What? Please hear me, señor—

DON QUIJOTE

Para la gloria y fama de Dulcinea!

(SANCHO can only watch dumbfounded as DON QUIJOTE charges into the herd, sword in hand, and begins chopping at the sheep with all his energy. The scene is one of silly chaos as sheep are tossed into the air left and right. After a moment the PASTOR appears and, naturally, is angry to discover the offense to his flock)

PASTOR

¡Anda, caballero! Those are my sheep!

(He charges at DON QUIJOTE)

SANCHO PANZA

¡Mire, señor Quijote!

(Despite SANCHO’s warning, DON QUIJOTE turns just in time to receive a blow from the PASTOR’s staff. The two men square off in a bizarre but intense duel, the sword-wielding man with a pot on his head versus the staff-swinging sheep master. Scaredy-cat SANCHO hides behind the sheep but can’t escape a few knocks on the head himself. Finally, DON QUIJOTE proves the more skilled of the two and stands menacingly above the now disarmed and vulnerable PASTOR)

DON QUIJOTE

Surrender, sir, o si no que le cortaría la cabeza!

(DON QUIJOTE is about to deliver the mortal blow when suddenly CERVANTES enters and quickly interrupts)

CERVANTES

¡Esperad! This isn’t right. Not right at all.

(Everyone in the scene is caught unawares by the surprise appearance and, somewhat frozen in their previous positions, they seem at a loss as to how to proceed. CERVANTES wanders amongst the characters like a director talking to his actors)

CERVANTES

I remember reading about the sheep—

(The sheep respond with an energetic “baa”)

And then Sancho said—

SANCHO PANZA

Mire, señor Quijote!

CERVANTES

And then you guys (indicating to DON QUIJOTE and the PASTOR) had a big, dramatic duel—

(The two men begin to replay the duel they just recently presented, leading up to DON QUIJOTE and a raised sword looming over the PASTOR)

DON QUIJOTE

Surrender, sir, o si no—

CERVANTES

Por cierto! There’s the mistake! Don Quijote isn’t supposed to win this fight—

DON QUIJOTE

I beg your pardon!

CERVANTES

According to another author, Don Quijote lay helpless on the ground while the Pastor beat him with the stick.

(CERVANTES moves people into their proper positions. Naturally, the PASTOR celebrates and DON QUIJOTE protests this unexpected turn of fortune)

PASTOR

Surrender, sir, o si no que le cortaría la cabeza!

DON QUIJOTE

This is an outrage!

(The PASTOR comically and enthusiastically whacks DON QUIJOTE senseless. SANCHO tries to come to his master’s aid but is, himself, swarmed by the sheep. The battle won, the assailants quickly flee the scene, leaving their two aching victims in a mangled heap)

CERVANTES

See? That was much better!

(Pleased to see the story “properly” told, he exits laughing)

 

SCENE 5

The Vomiting Potion

(see chapters 1.10 and 1.18)

SANCHO PANZA

Señor… are you all right?

DON QUIJOTE

I do believe the villain may have knocked out some of my teeth.

SANCHO PANZA

Let’s have a look, but don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

(SANCHO moves closer to DON QUIJOTE and has a peek inside his mouth)

SANCHO PANZA

How many teeth did you have in there when you started this adventure?

DON QUIJOTE

Four.

SANCHO PANZA

Not any more, you don’t.

DON QUIJOTE

Fear not, my friend. Fortune smiles on us.

SANCHO PANZA

I hope Fortune has a better-looking smile than you do!

DON QUIJOTE

I just remembered that I keep in my possession the great bálsamo de Fierabrás,

(He produces a curious-looking bottle. SANCHO takes a whiff)

SANCHO PANZA

Yuck! It smells awful!

DON QUIJOTE

Tis a potion so powerful that a single drop can rescue a wounded man from the edge of death!

SANCHO PANZA

Where did you get this stuff?

DON QUIJOTE

I made it myself, using an ancient recipe that I memorized for just such an emergency.

SANCHO PANZA

Does it really work?

DON QUIJOTE

It shall make you healthy as an apple.

(He takes a drink from the bottle then hands it to SANCHO)

SANCHO PANZA

Well, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Bottoms up!

(SANCHO takes a large gulp and his reaction tells us just how nasty the concoction tasted on its way down. There is a pause between them as they anticipate the promised miracle taking effect)

SANCHO PANZA

I don’t think I feel better.

DON QUIJOTE

Patience, Sancho.

SANCHO PANZA

In fact, I feel worse. A lot worse.

DON QUIJOTE

I confess that my condition has likewise not improved.

(A loud gurgling noise rumbles from their stomachs and the two men begin to realize where this is headed) 

SANCHO PANZA

I think you were right about one thing, señor. That potion’s going to bring something back, but it won’t be my health—

(SANCHO struggles to hold on but ultimately loses control and erupts with what seems like an endless fire hose of vomit)

DON QUIJOTE

Deténgase, Sancho!

(Just when it seems like SANCHO has reached the bottom of his stomach DON QUIJOTE unleashes his own vile fountain. The repulsive, but comically exaggerated exchange continues for a moment, back and forth, back and forth, maybe done, not yet done, under control, out of control, until both men cast themselves onto the stage, breathing deeply and utterly spent but also somewhat relieved to be done. In a way it seems as though they really have cheated death)

DON QUIJOTE

Art thou healed, Sancho?

SANCHO PANZA

I… I think I’m still alive… if that’s what you mean.

DON QUIJOTE

Did I not say this potion would rescue a man from the edge of death?

SANCHO PANZA

Next time I’d rather die!

 

SCENE 6

Sansón Carrasco: Don Quijote’s Biggest Fan

(see chapters 2.3 and 2.59)

(SANSÓN, a man with a sizeable nose, passes through unseen to our moaning heroes. At first he does not notice the two men lying battered on the ground but when he does he immediately rushes to help them)

SANSÓN CARRASCO

¡Por vida de San Jerónimo! Are you guys ok? Let me help you up.

(He helps DON QUIJOTE and SANCHO get to their feet)

DON QUIJOTE

You are very kind, fellow traveler, but you needn’t worry. It would take more than that to defeat the great Don Quijote de La Mancha.

SANSÓN CARRASCO

¡Por el hábito de San Pedro! Did you say your name was Don Quijote?

DON QUIJOTE

I did.

SANSÓN CARARSCO

Déme vuestra grandeza las manos, señor don Quijote de la Mancha!

SANCHO PANZA

I’d stand back if I were you, just in case there’s another resurrection.

SANSÓN CARRASCO

Mala me dé Dios if you aren’t the Sancho Panza!

DON QUIJOTE

I see that you have already made our acquaintance.

SANSÓN CARRASCO

Acquaintance? I love you guys! I’ve read all your adventures, I have all your action figures, I have posters of you in my room, I eat Quijote-O’s cereal every morning! I even have you on my underwear! Look—

(He goes to show them his underwear but, thankfully, DON QUIJOTE and SANCHO quickly intercede)

DON QUIJOTE

Tis no need, señor. You have quite convinced us. And what might we call you?

SANSÓN CARRASCO

Disculpen. I’m Sansón Carrasco. I’m a huge fan! Hey, can I get your autographs?

DON QUIJOTE

And where did you discover the greatness of our names and deeds, señor Carrasco?

SANSÓN CARRASCO

Duh! I’ve read your book about a million times!

SANCHO PANZA

What book?

SANSÓN CARRASCO

This one! (He pulls out a book) El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de La Mancha. Everyone’s read it.

(Hearing about the book’s fame and popularity, CERVANTES appears as if out of thin air and goes straight to SANSÓN, his new best friend)

CERVANTES

Did you say everyone’s read my book?

SANSÓN CARRASCO

Are you kidding? It was voted the greatest novel in the history of the world. Of course everyone’s read it.

SANCHO PANZA

Well, I wouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

CERVANTES

The greatest novel? I must be filthy rich!

SANSÓN CARRASCO

Actually, no.

DON QUIJOTE

(Overjoyed) Then all the world knows the glory of Don Quijote de La Mancha.

SANSÓN CARRASCO

Oh sure! I loved the part when you wore that goofy paper hat—

CERVANTES

Then I smashed it—

SANSÓN CARRASCO

And he put that crazy pot on his head!

(SANSÓN and CERVANTES look at the ridiculous figure of DON QUIJOTE and burst out laughing)

DON QUIJOTE

(Indignant) It is the fabled Yelmo de Mamb—

CERVANTES

Oh, and the part where he thought that herd of sheep was a giant army!

DON QUIJOTE

I tell you it was Garamantas the mal—

SANSÓN CARRASCO

So then he charges in to fight them and ends up getting trampled instead!

CERVANTES

Hilarious, right?

SANCHO PANZA

(Complaining) Hey, don’t forget I got mutton-chopped in that whole disaster!

(CERVANTES and SANSÓN just about keel over with laughter, while SANCHO and DON QUIJOTE protest being made the butt of their jokes)

SANSÓN CARRASCO

What about the time when they travel to Zaragoza for the jousting competition—

CERVANTES

Hold on! They haven’t gotten to that part yet.

DON QUIJOTE

¡Señores infames! I will no longer endure this shameful affront to my honra. Ven, Sancho. Let us be on our way.

(He turns and leaves sharply. SANCHO starts to join him but pauses briefly to go and speak in private with CERVANTES and SANSÓN)

SANCHO PANZA

Psst! Just between us… can I ask you a question? Do I eventually get the ínsula he promised me?

SANSÓN CARARSCO and CERVANTES

Oh yeah. Sure. Absolutely.

SANCHO PANZA

Whew! ¡Señor Quijote, espere!

(SANCHO runs off after his master. SANSÓN and CERVANTES look at each other and laugh again)

CERVANTES

Oye, Sansón. I just got a brilliant idea. Que tal si—

(He whispers something unintelligible)

SANSÓN CARRASCO

Yeah, yeah! Oh, then I could—

(He whispers and the two men share a laugh. They continue whispering and plotting as both exit)

 

SCENE 7

On the Road to the Inn

(see chapters 2.25 and 2.26)

(DON QUIJOTE and SANCHO emerge and pantomime travelling along their quest, with scenery such as shrubs, cottages and windmills passing by them in the distance. DON QUIJOTE seems more determined than ever to seek the adventure he craves. SANCHO, on the other hand, clumsily struggles to keep up with his master)

SANCHO PANZA

Así que… ¿señor?… espere… eh… ¿adónde vamos?… ¿señor? Are we headed for Zaragoza, like those guys said?

DON QUIJOTE

Certainly not!

SANCHO PANZA

But they said something about a jousting tournament—

DON QUIJOTE

You were mistaken. No doubt those sorcerers placed an enchantment on your ears.

SANCHO PANZA

Sorcerers? But… but… I don’t want to be enchanted! What if they curse us and make us go to Zaragoza?

DON QUIJOTE

I give you my word as a knight that I have never in my life been to Zaragoza y jamás iré! If I must travel all the way to Barcelona to defy those wicked wizards, I shall avoid that place.

SANCHO PANZA

Or worse! What if they turn me into something unnatural, like… like a donkey?

(DON QUIJOTE pauses and turns to his panicking companion)

DON QUIJOTE

Sancho, trust in the wisdom of my counsel when I tell you that no one shall make an ass out of you.

(They begin their journey again. There is a beat while SANCHO, relieved, processes this information)

SANCHO PANZA

So… where are we going, then?

DON QUIJOTE

Wherever adventure leads us.

 

SCENE 8

Maese Pedro’s Puppet Show

(see chapters 2.25 and 2.26)

(There is a grand fanfare of trumpets that gives way to a drum roll and a booming, offstage voice reminiscent of the announcer at a 3-ring circus. If it were possible for this introduction to include an elaborate laser show and end with enormous explosions of fire and confetti it would. Both DON QUIJOTE and SANCHO are transfixed by the Las Vegas-like spectacle of it all. During the introduction a proscenium to a small stage appears, eye-catching, brightly-colored, carnival-looking and featuring curtains emblazoned with the image of a monkey)

VOICE (offstage)

Señoras y señores, llegad y oíd, que anda por esta Mancha de Aragón, enseñando las mejores y más bien representadas historias que de muchos años a esta parte en este reino se han visto, el famosísimo titiritero, el hombre galante, el bon compaño, la vida del mundo, él que habla más que seís y bebe más que doce, y todo a costa de su lengua y de su retablo de maravillas, el riquísimo—¡Maese Pedro!

(With the revelation of the name “Maese Pedro” the curtains of the miniature theater are drawn to reveal the master puppeteer himself, who emerges with the flamboyant self-awareness of a game-show host. Though he wears a green patch over his left eye he is extravagantly dressed, like a Cervantine Liberace. The crowd goes wild to see him)

MAESE PEDRO

¡Gracias! ¡Bienvenidos! ¡Gracias!

(MAESE PEDRO greets his adoring fans)

DON QUIJOTE

It appears that the lord of this castle now celebrates my arrival.

SANCHO PANZA

Not you—him! ¡Cuerpo de tal! That’s Maese Pedro, the world-famous puppeteer!

DON QUIJOTE

Nonsense, Sancho. The wizards must have enchanted your eyes as well as your ears.

MAESE PEDRO

Bienvenidos todos, tirios y troyanos!

(SANCHO cannot restrain himself and runs up to greet MAESE PEDRO)

SANCHO PANZA

Sea bien venido vuestra merced, señor Maese Pedro!

MAESE PEDRO

¡Gracias, Sancho! It’s great to be here!

(SANCHO enthusiastically shakes hands with the entertainer but, upon closer inspection of the man, begins to notice something peculiar about him but before he has a chance to inquire further MAESE PEDRO entreats him to take a seat)

MAESE PEDRO

Ladies and gentlemen, you are too kind! Please be seated.

(DON QUIJOTE and SANCHO take a seat where we can still see them, yet surrendering the focus of attention to the mini-stage and its pilot)

MAESE PEDRO

I have a special treat for you today. The absolutely true story you are about to behold comes straight from the crónicas francesas y los romances españoles, a story I discovered by speaking with eye-witnesses to the tragic event, in the kingdom del emperador Carlomagno, in the city of Sansueña-

(MAESE PEDRO moves into place behind the stage while the monkey-curtain is drawn to reveal a painted backdrop. Throughout the performance he remains partially visible to the audience as a reminder that he is, in fact, the puppeteer busily at work behind the spectacle. The figures themselves are essentially 2-dimensional, stylized puppets that look somewhat designed by children. MAESE PEDRO narrates while the puppets enthusiastically act out the tale with exaggerated enthusiasm)

MAESE PEDRO

Where lived, the brave, noble, handsome knight, Gaiferos—

DON QUIJOTE

Bravo!

SANCHO PANZA

Shhh!

MAESE PEDRO

But Fate would test the valor of our hero, for one day, his mortal enemy, el rey Marsilio—

(REY MARSILIO appears)

DON QUIJOTE

Booo!

SANCHO PANZA

Shhhhhh!

MAESE PEDRO

Sent men and captured Gaiferos’s most beautiful lady—

DON QUIJOTE

Second most beautiful lady… after Dulcinea, of course.

MAESE PEDRO

Fine—captured Gaiferos’s second most beautiful lady, his beloved wife, Melisendra.

(MELISENDRA appears but is quickly kidnapped by MARSILIO)

GAIFEROS

¡Melisendra! ¡Miradlo!

MAESE PEDRO

His honor wounded, Gaiferos pleaded with the emperador, quien volvió la espalda y lo dejó despechado. Gaiferos became filled with rage. He wept! He shouted! He pounded his sword and shield! He wept and shouted some more—

DON QUIJOTE

Señor, Maese Pedro. Please stick to the story without so much wandering in unnecessary details.

MAESE PEDRO

(To GAIFEROS) You heard the man. Get to the point.

GAIFEROS

Caballero, si a Francia ides, ¡por Gaiferos preguntad!

MAESE PEDRO

Abandoned but undaunted, our hero made the perilous journey to the tower of his imprisoned Melisendra and secretly rescued her from captivity.

(MELISENDRA is happily rescued by her knight in shining armor)

MAESE PEDRO

But Fortune would again turn on the happy couple, for just as they made their escape they were discovered by Marsilio, who sounded the alarm—

(A strange noise accompanies MARSILIO’s sudden appearance)

DON QUIJOTE

No, no, no! You are quite mistaken, sir. There are no bells in the land of Sansueña. Their customary alarm uses an entirely different instrument, such as an atabal or a dulzaina—

MAESE PEDRO

Dulzai-what?

DON QUIJOTE

A dulzaina. Tis very much like a chirimía, of course. Please endeavor to tell the story properly.

MAESE PEDRO

(Emerging from the stage and getting right in DON QUIJOTE’s face) ¡Mire por vuestra merced! I’m the puppeteer here! Your job is to zip it and applaud! Got that?

SANCHO PANZA

Escúchale, señor Quijote. Too many cooks spoil the broth.

DON QUIJOTE

Así es verdad.

MAESE PEDRO

That’s better. (Returning to the stage) Behold the horrible spectacle, as Gaiferos and Melisendra flee before the armies of Marsilio. Hear now the crash of steel! Witness the stampede of a thousand horses against him! Utterly alone Gaiferos draws his sword to defend his lady against the terrible foe—

(DON QUIJOTE, completely overcome by the excitement of the story, leaps to his feet with his own sword drawn)

DON QUIJOTE

¡Deteneos, mal nacida canalla! Fear not, Gaiferos, for I shall lend the sword of Don Quijote de La Mancha!

(DON QUIJOTE dives into the stage and commences hacking it and all its participants to pieces. Puppet heads go flying! Curtains are rent asunder!  MAESE PEDRO and SANCHO alternate between intervening and diving for cover)

MAESE PEDRO and SANCHO PANZA

Deténgase vuesa merced, señor Quijote!

(When the carnage is over the heavily breathing DON QUIJOTE begins to realize his error)

MAESE PEDRO

¡Pecador de mi! You’ve destroyed my stage, my puppets—everything! How am I supposed to make a living now?

(He begins to sob uncontrollably and SANCHO rushes over to comfort the man)

DON QUIJOTE

Forgive me, señor. I… I was bewitched. It all seemed so real. Gaiferos and… and Melisendra… It was the fault of enchanters. I shall of course pay for the damages—

SANCHO PANZA

No llores, Maese Pedro. It just breaks my heart when—wait just a minute! Don’t I know that nose?

MAESE PEDRO

Nose? No… no… I am the great Maese Pedro… I don’t nose what nose you’re—

(SANCHO removes the eye patch and disguise to reveal none other than SANSÓN CARARSCO)

SANCHO PANZA

You’re not Maese Pedro at all! You’re Sansón Carrasco!

SANSÓN CARRASCO

Now wait a minute, guys. You’re imagining this. It’s the enchanters, right?

DON QUIJOTE

¡Sosegaos, Maese Carrasco! A knight’s virtue shall not endure this shameless deception!

SANCHO PANZA

Were you lying about my island, too?

SANSÓN CARRASCO

Ok, so maybe I am Sansón, and maybe I did play a little trick on you but remember, I’m your biggest fan! I just wanted to join in on your adventures, you know, letras y armas and all that? Cervantes put me up to it!

DON QUIJOTE

Advertid, señor, ¡que me hagas salir de los límites de la caballería!

SANSÓN CARRASCO

Cervantes!

(SANSÓN immediately flees, pleading for mercy and is closely pursued by the knight and his squire. A brief chase of hide and seek ensues, perhaps even into the audience for a time as SANSÓN desperately explores every avenue of escape. Even ROCINANTE gleefully runs through the chaos of the scene. During this time the ragged remains of the mini stage are removed and the horizon becomes populated, somewhat unnoticed, with windmills of various shapes and sizes. Eventually SANSÓN manages to lose DON QUIJOTE and SANCHO who, returning to the stage, now find themselves alone and lost in La Mancha)

 

SCENE 9

Battling Windmills

(see chapter 1.8)

SANCHO PANZA

Where did he go?

DON QUIJOTE

It would appear, Sancho, that he has, in fact, disappeared. Perhaps he was aided by aquel sabio Frestón.

SANCHO PANZA

I don’t know a sabio Frestón, by I could sure go for a sandwich to feast on.

(DON QUIJOTE begins to notice the windmills)

DON QUIJOTE

I greatly fear we are not alone, Sancho. Adventure guides us into the demon’s belly.

SANCHO PANZA

Well let’s hope this time adventure guides something into my belly!

DON QUIJOTE

See there, approaching in the distance!

SANCHO PANZA

What is it?

DON QUIJOTE

We are surrounded by giants!

SANCHO PANZA

(Scared) Ahh! ¿Gigantes, señor?

(SANCHO buries his face, trembling with fear and unable to bear the sight)

DON QUIJOTE

Some thirty giants, intent on taking our lives and our glory in singular battle, no doubt!

(A large WINDMILL moves onto the stage)

SANCHO PANZA

Ahhhh!

DON QUIJOTE

It cannot be!

SANCHO PANZA

What is it?

DON QUIJOTE

The army of assailants is lead by the famous giant of Sevilla, Giralda!

(Instantly, the unassuming WINDMILL transforms into a menacing giant, teeth gnashing, its arms writhing and reaching for the DON QUIJOTE as if daring him to attack)

SANCHO PANZA

Mommy!

DON QUIJOTE

See their long arms able to pluck a man from his horse at casi dos leguas!

(SANCHO, searching for release, looks up at the supposed monster only to realize the cause of his master’s confusion, but just before he does the giant transforms back into a WINDMILL. He approaches the building for a closer look)

SANCHO PANZA

Mire vuestra merced, that’s not a giant. It’s a molino de viento. The arms are for catching the wind, not caballeros.

DON QUIJOTE

Well may it seem to thee. Step aside, my friend, and pray if you must while destiny demands that I strike these villains down in fierce battle!

(The WINDMILL transforms back into a giant as DON QUIJOTE readies himself for the charge. SANCHO, on the other hand, can’t bear to watch)

DON QUIJOTE

¡Non fuyades cobardes y viles criaturas, que un solo caballero es el que os acomete!

(DON QUIJOTE charges at the giant. The battle is fierce and epic but, as expected, our hero is defeated once again. As he falls to the ground the giant transforms back into a calm and innocuous windmill. This time DON QUIJOTE is slow to arise. Whatever the injury, it appears more serious than those incurred in previous bouts. SANCHO is clearly concerned)

SANCHO PANZA

¡Señor Quijote! Didn’t I tell you? They’re just windmills.

DON QUIJOTE

Sancho… have I not told you that all things in love and war are subject to sudden reversals of fate?

SANCHO PANZA

Yes but molinos—

(The WINDMILLS slowly leaves the stage)

DON QUIJOTE

Clearly one of my enemies has yet again intervened to transform these giants into windmills to rob me of the glory in his defeat. Such is the hatred he feels for me, hatred I shall strike down with my sword in the end!

(He struggles to get to his feet but stumbles and falls)

SANCHO PANZA

¡Señor!

DON QUIJOTE

¡Dejadme levantar, os ruego!

(DON QUIJOTE begins to arise)

SANCHO PANZA

Rest here a moment, Señor. Good things come to those who wait.

(DON QUIJOTE shouts one last time but falls again. SANCHO either does not realize or will not accept the his friend is dying)

DON QUIJOTE

These wizards and windmills… I greatly fear, Sancho, that I am not well.

SANCHO PANZA

Don’t say that. Easy come, easy go. There’s more adventures to have, right?

DON QUIJOTE

The tale of my adventure ends here.

SANCHO PANZA

What about the bálsamo? You said it’ll make you healty as an apple! I’ll get it for you.

DON QUIJOTE

I am empty.

SANCHO PANZA

Well you can’t break an omlette without breaking some eggs. Maybe we could try being pastores—

DON QUIJOTE

Farewell, my friend. Oh Dulcinea!

(DON QUIJOTE gives on final shout before disappearing from the stage. SANCHO silently stares into the void where he last saw his friend, perhaps hoping in vain to see him reappear)

 

SCENE 10

The Death of Alonso Quijano

(see chapter 2.74)

(CERVANTES enters. During his speech all of the previous characters slowly return to the stage and join SANCHO, gathered around the spot where DON QUIJOTE disappeared, as if it were his tomb)

CERVANTES

As all things human are temporary and press onward in decline from beginning to end, so it was with Alonso Quijano el Bueno, who could not escape the arrival of his fate in the moment he least expected, as he surrendered his spirit among the tears of his friends.

SANCHO PANZA

Yace aquí el Hidalgo fuerte que a tanto extremo llegó de valiente.

CERVANTES

Don Quijote was born for me, and I for him. His deeds, my pen. His death, my end.

(The group bursts into enormous, comical and exaggerated weeping)

CERVANTES

Wait a minute! It doesn’t have to end here.

(The group stops crying and listens)

CERVANTES

Tome mi consejo, arise and ride again, for there is more adventure to be had and the vanquished today are the victors tomorrow.

SANCHO PANZA

It’s not over till it’s over!

CERVANTES

En un lugar de La Mancha—

HOMBRE

De cuyo nombre no quiero acordarme—

SANSÓN CARRASCO

No ha mucho tiempo que vivía un hidalgo—

SANCHO PANZA

De los de lanza en astillero adarga antigua—

MUJER

Rocín flaco y galgo corredor.

CERVANTES

And the name of this poor fellow was—

(DON QUIJOTE bursts into the scene once again, healthy and full of life)

ALL

¡Don Quijote de La Mancha!

CURTAIN