Love’s Labour’s Lost (RSC)

Royal Shakespeare Theatre (Stratford-upon-Avon), 16/05/24

Credit: Johan Persson

Final rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

So, my favourite play of all time – rarely performed, in part due to its complicated grapple of wordplay, but also its damp squib ending – with the supposed sequel being the infamous lost play, Love’s Labour’s One. So, how would director Emily Burns fare? Very well it would seem. She propels the action into the modern era, portraying the King of Navarre as the sort of bizarre billionaire I can only assume was meant to mirror Richard Branson, and his lords as ‘tech bros’ that have gone to be with their king on a Hawaiian island retreat. When the curtain is lifted, we see a stunning, spinning set that with ease portrays an expensive spa. The ensemble (and Marienella Phillip as Jaquenetta) make up the staff – often serenading us with Aloha-esque music accompaniment.

The action actually begins, though, with a press conference – where soon to be Queen delivers a warning about the dangers of climate change in Hawaiian, featuring the use of video and a large screen. Though interesting, this idea is never really revisited and so it is quite easily forgettable. It is then that the witty wordplay of the Lords gets thrust upon us. Abiola Owokoniran’s King of Navarre is fantastic, with a sense of command over his men, blissfully unaware of how ignorant an action ‘swearing not to see a woman in 3 years’ is, when merely moments after signing the treaty does the Princess and her troupe arrive. Luke Johnson’s Berowne is scornful and dry-witted, and while it is absolutely obvious he is a natural with the Shakespearean verse, I did struggle at times to hear him as he rushed through the lines (albeit with ease). Brandon Bassir’s Dumain however was inspired – playing up to the ridiculous slapstick of his character by dabbing, talking selfies, flossing, and falling down the stairs when accosting Boyet (Jordan Metcalfe, who himself was hilariously camp and sarcastic). Bassir was terrific and always lifted the scene. As was Eric Stroud’s Longaville, who also brilliantly performed a fantastic rendition of a pop song for the lords to perform (more on that later).

The same can be said of the Ladies of the play. Again – transported to the modern world – we see them making the most of the idyllic ‘instagrammable’ surroundings, swiping on Tinder and vaping. Melanie-Joyce Bermudez did a superb job with the Princess, always matching the authority of King Ferdinand and instructing her ladies to mock the lords’ every move. Amy Griffiths and Sarita Gabony as Katherine and Maria carved out different qualities in their characters to make them instantly recognisable. And while Ionna Kimbook played her Rosaline as muted and understated, she was a fearsome match for the quick-witted Berowne and effortlessly put him in his place.

It was – however – the side characters that for me stole the show. Nathan Foad as Costard is by far the best portrayal of the character I’ve ever seen – and in fact one of my favourite supporting actor performances ever. There are anachronistic ad-libs galore – but he pulls off every single one that is convincing and true to the character (‘Yes, I have read the Iliad’). He was what they call a scene stealer, definitely. I also very much enjoyed Jack Bardoe’s Don Armardo – an already fun role which he elevated by playing up to the Spanish-isms and communicating clearly with his page boy, Moth (Iskandar Eaton) who mocks his lack of proper education. Additionally, Tony Gardner as Holofernes was terrific – although I actually felt he was wasted in the role and was desperate to see more of him. But he nonetheless portrayed the idiotic pedant with a likeable snobbish charm where literally every line resulted in a laugh.

And it was this production’s grapple with the language where I think it truly excelled. Some very smart cuts to the text – keeping in the comedy while removing unnecessary streams of consciousness. Even at moments of the dialogue when some obscure (or outdated) wordplay is spoken, it feels grounded in relatable attitudes or physical comedy to better deliver the lines for a modern audience. I also want to mention the costumes because, again (something I’ve come to expect from the RSC) they were spot on. The tech bro look was so perfect it hurt (it was like an Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue came to life), and having the lords dress up as Knights when visiting the ladies in disguise was equally genius. That moment provided a roar of laughter from the crowd – in an attempt at courting – with a rendition of ‘I Want It That Way’ featuring acoustic guitar and harmonies, all while dressed as knights with feathers sticking out the helmets.

Plus – Shakespeare explores the ‘play within a play’ trope with a performance of ‘The Nine Worthies’ from the mechanical-esque side characters. It was again inspired to have them hold up a ‘9 Worthies’ sign – with each letter on a separate piece of cardboard – and then in their confusion mix up the order and actually rearrange the letters to spell ‘b more shit’ (the 9 and the W upside down).

The ending did bring a sudden burst of poignancy – with the madness of the Worthies juxtaposed with an almost Shakespearean tragedy feel at news of the death of the Princess’ father. It is very difficult for anyone to restore the pacing and energy of the previous two hours during these final moments – but that is a challenge with the play and its text, rather than the fault of this production.

Overall, it was riotous, daring, and just so much fun – I am so glad I made the trip from London and its not only reaffirmed why it is my favourite ever play but also reignited my desire to direct it (again).