DON Q @ NOH SPACE

If Don Quixote adapted to the stage by Theatre of Yugen, a company that usually specializes in Japanese classical dramatic arts seems a cultural mixed metaphor--or at least a stretch--consider: this is a departure for Yugen; there's no particular emphasis on Japanese style, though those performers in this show who were trained in Kyogen & Noh just tend to move that way ... and besides, Kyogen, the ancient (& hilarious) stylized comic form that's best known as a humorous interlude between tragic Noh plays, not only preserves language and customs from roughly the same period in Japan as Cervantes' time in Spain, and satirizes Japanese feudal society's interpersonal relations just as the great Spanish humorist dispatched the Middle Ages in his hidebound land ...

but Kyogen itself means "Crazy Words," a sense of humor coming from a Zen-like fresh view of what people say & how they act ..So the spirit of Yugen's usual fare isn't really so far off the La Manchan comedy they've bit into..

Theatre of Yugen Joint Artistic Director Lluis Valls--not only adaptor of Cervantes' classic, but also Sancho Panza, at least in this show--hails from Barcelona, & has practiced Kyogen & Noh for many years here in San Francisco. To celebrate the centuries of Spain's greatest book, Lluis foregrounded Don Quixote and Sancho, and the tale is told with much clown sctick of an international cast. Accompanied by David McLean on flamenco guitar, a lively ensemble "of chivalrous clowns" tilts at windmills withsomething other than chopsticks in Yugen's DON Q at Noh Space, 2840 Mariposa (bet. Florida & Alabama in the Mission-Potrero), Thurs-Sat at 8 thru May 13, directed by Libby Zilber, w/set & props by Max, costumes by Marilyn Yu-Li, & lights by Stephen Siegel. $15-20 (Thurs. pay-what-you-will) (415) 621-797 theatreofyugen.org