At Shakespeare’s Globe, the Bard’s words should be centre stage — but here, clever rhetoric is overshadowed by cheap laughs.
Love’s Labour’s Lost is one of Shakespeare’s least frequently staged comedies, but it is an undervalued, entertaining piece of work. Believed to have been written in the mid-1590s as a showcase of the playwright’s extraordinary rhetorical skill, it is a play built on language above all else. Filled with intricate wordplay, verbal duels and classical references, it gently satirises those who prize clever speech over genuine human connection. That makes it all the more disappointing that Indiana Lown-Collins’ Globe Theatre debut places so much emphasis on visual comedy at the expense of the Bard’s words.
Set against a vibrant Spanish backdrop, flamenco becomes a defining feature of the production. The choreography by Carmen Igarza is undeniably accomplished, while the musicians and professional flamenco artists create an infectious atmosphere that gives the Globe stage undeniable energy. Yet the dance often feels like the production’s main event rather than an accompaniment to Shakespeare’s language. At several points, lengthy dance interludes extend a play that already feels substantial, and some trimming would have allowed the script itself greater room to breathe. One undeniable highlight is the Princess’s exhilarating bullfight sequence, expertly realised by the company and choreographed with flair.
Visually, there is much to admire. Katie Lias’ colourful costumes and the lively on-stage band create a production full of warmth and movement. However, the emphasis on spectacle frequently comes at the expense of clarity. For a play whose central joy lies in its rhetoric, surprisingly little of the dialogue lands with sufficient precision. Too often speeches disappear into the open-air auditorium, leaving much of Shakespeare’s carefully crafted wit unheard.
Norah Lopez Holden’s Princess is the clear standout. Every line is delivered with crisp diction and confidence, allowing the character’s intelligence and playful wit to shine through. She establishes an engaging rapport with those around her and ensures the audience never loses sight of the text. Bea Segura’s Rosaline, Suzanne Ahmet’s Katherine and Katy Stephens’ Maria also work well together, bringing warmth and camaraderie to the Princess’s entourage.
Among the men, Philip Arditti’s Berowne offers occasional glimpses of the self-aware charm that makes the character one of Shakespeare’s most engaging creations. His discovery that his fellow noblemen have each secretly fallen in love is one of the evening’s strongest comic moments. However, both Berowne’s exchanges with Rosaline and many of his longer speeches feel rushed, limiting the impact of some of Shakespeare’s finest writing. Across the wider company, speeches from the King of Navarre (Ned Costello), Longaville (Philip Labey) and Dumaine (Jax Guerrero) are too often lost, whether through projection or directorial choices.
Unfortunately, several attempts to modernise the comedy feel less successful. Characters spelling out letters to recognisable Latin and Spanish pop songs raise an initial laugh but resemble social media sketches more than moments within a Shakespeare production. Likewise, the Russian disguise sequence leans heavily on exaggerated phallic costume gags, favouring easy laughs over the sharper satire already present in the script.
Katy Stephens delivers Holofernes, although the decision to portray the pedantic scholar as an exaggerated holidaymaker abroad, complete with repeated jokes about pronunciation, including an extended “jalapeño” gag, again opts for broad humour where Shakespeare’s own comedy would have sufficed. Daniel Crossley’s absurd costume as Constable Dull only reinforces this reliance on visual jokes.
There is no questioning the talent on display, nor the infectious atmosphere created throughout the evening. This is a colourful, energetic and often entertaining production, but one that too frequently sidelines the very quality that makes Love’s Labour’s Lost so distinctive. At Shakespeare’s Globe, there remains an expectation that audiences will leave having revelled in the beauty and brilliance of the Bard’s language. Here, too much of that wizardry is unfortunately lost amongst the spectacle.
This show runs at Shakespeare’s Globe until 13th September. Tickets here.