Little Lark of London

“Navarre shall be the wonder of the world”

Directed by Emily Burns, the RSC’s new production of Love’s Labour’s Lost takes us to the Pacific island of Navarre, where the King of Navarre, Ferdinand (Abiola Owokoniran), has created a wellness retreat, inviting three of his companions – Dumain (Brandon Bassir), Longaville (Eric Stroud) and Berowne (Luke Thompson) – to sign contracts and live as scholars for three years, removing themselves from all forms of technology and not interacting with any women. However, they begin to struggle to keep their vows once the Princess (Melanie-Joyce Bermudez) arrives to negotiate with Ferdinand, bringing along her ladies – Rosaline (Ionna Kimbook), Maria (Sarita Gabony) and Katherine (Amy Griffiths). Isn’t it a lovely coincidence that there are an equal number of men and women? You might be able to tell where this is going . . . 

The modern aspects of the show are very well done, and it is fascinating to see modern clothing (designed by Joanna Scotcher) and body language (assisted by Movement Director Shelley Maxwell) on stage along with Shakespearean language (excluding a few modern phrases here and there). It is very clever to have part of the “fasting” the men take part in involve giving up technology, being placed in a box when they sign the contract at the beginning of the show. One particular highlight was the women discussing the men, scrolling through a phone, presumably looking at the men’s Instagram profiles as they swipe and react to a range of photos. Another includes the scene in which the men disguise themselves to court the women, dressed as knights and giving a truly spectacular rendition of “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys.

As one might expect, Thompson is an absolute highlight of the show as the exasperated Berowne, but that is not to say that the other actors are not just as talented, as everyone comes together to make for a great show. I particularly enjoyed Kimbook as Rosaline, matching Thompson’s energy and attitude, making for some delightful back-and-forths throughout. Nathan Foad is a delightful Costard, appearing as the audience’s modern link to the Shakespearean world of the show, constantly making offhand comments and giving side-eye to the other characters as he watches the chaos (that he helped cause) unfold. Another unexpected favourite for me was Jordan Metcalfe as Boyet, the male companion to the women on Navarre.

The set itself, designed by Joanna Scotcher, is its own character and the audience is truly brought into the world of Navarre through the show’s thrust-style staging. Performers are constantly moving around, entering and exiting from a range of doors around the theatre. I particularly loved the gorgeous staircase of the resort, a great set piece that makes for not only some beautiful dramatic moments but for some hilarious moments of comedy as the turntable spins around to reveal things going on around the resort.

The scenes with Don Armado (Jack Bardoe) are a bit strange and pull the audience out of the plot a bit, but that is an issue that would have to be taken up with the Bard himself, as Bardoe and the ensemble do a great job with what they are given, typically playing scenes out on tennis courts. Bardoe’s performance reminded me of Mathew Baynton’s earlier performance as Bottom in the RSC’s last production, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, if the man had been given the gifts of power and privilege. I particularly enjoyed the antics of Moth, Armado’s page (Iskandor Eaton). If there was one negative aspect to truly focus on in this production, it would be how it tends to be very front-facing focused, with those on the sides of the stage sometimes feeling like they are being ignored in favour of the centre seats. There were quite a few scenes in which I missed out on details as characters had their backs to the side I was sitting on, making it impossible to see their facial expressions and reactions. 

One of the best aspects of Love’s Labour’s Lost is its ambiguous ending, a strange way for Shakespeare to end a comedy, particularly a romantic one like this show. As Berowne says, “Our wooing doth not end like an old play.” Indeed, it is an unexpected ending that allows for some of the most emotional scenes in the show, including a heartfelt moment of song (composed by Paul Englishby and focusing on the gorgeous vocals of Marienella Phillips as Jacquenetta) paying tribute to the Pacific culture on display throughout the show.

Ultimately, Love’s Labour’s Lost is a fascinating and hilarious adaptation of Shakespeare’s work, doing a fantastic job of blending the modern with the Shakespearean. The performers are all wonderful and the creative choices make for a solid start to the new season – I look forward to seeing what comes next! 

Love’s Labour’s Lost runs from 11 April to 18 May at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Tickets can be booked here.