Don Quixote comes to Palakkad, propped up by Kalari and Theyyam

Actors rehearse for Nanmayil John Quixote.

Fans of the 17th Century Spanish classic Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes will be in for a treat on March 29 when a new Malayalam theatre adaptation of the parody hits the stage. 

Nanmayil John Quixote will portray the original narrative with Malayali features, mixing traditional props and instruments with the elements of Theyyam and Kalari. 

Aliyar Ali, director of the play, says, “The core of the original by Miguel de Cervantes and its humour remains intact. We lace it with the social and cultural milieus of our land. Transformation of the names – from the titular Don (Quixote) to John Quixote and Sancho Panza to Sancho Pachan – is part of the small tweaks done to make them vernacular.” 

In memory of a friend

An independent production by Palakkad-based Sportive Theatre Space, the play was chosen by the makers to commemorate friend and fellow creative Midhun Mohan, who passed away in 2023. The screening is also timed to coincide with the International Theatre Day. 

“The play will combine acrobatics and the quirks of the Kalari and Theyyam traditions. One will see the protagonists being blessed by a Theyyam Thira as they embark on their quest for adventure,” says Ali. “The founding tenet of our collective has been to create theatre with sportive elements. And we have achieved just that with the play,” he says. 

To ensure a transformative experience for both Quixote fans and traditional art lovers, the makers have based the production on an audiovisual medium using regional motifs, relics, and soundscapes. “The protagonists and the story will traverse many regions within Kerala’s ethos,” says Ali. However, the central theme stays put, he says. 

As with the visual styles, the score — arranged by Naru Parai Isai — will consist of various tribal, classical, and electronic sounds. The act will be associated with performers from VPS Kalari, Ponnani, and thespians from Minnadam, Palakkad. 

The cast includes Saji Thulasidas, Dasan Kongad, Kannanunni, Fidha, Bini, Sathyan Kottayi, and Swathy Mohanan (Midhun Mohan’s father). Nanmayil John Quixote will play at Government Victoria College ground, Palakkad, on March 29 and 30 at 7 p.m. The play will last two hours.