Love's Labour's Lost

Shakespeare's comedy of love and language is among his wordiest and most ostentatiously learned, but under Dominic Dromgoole's sprightly direction in this Globe Theatre version, Love's Labour's Lost benefits from such a scintillating performance that it will amuse even those who don't catch every classical allusion and Latin phrase. The plot concerns four young men—the king of Navarre and friends Berowne, Longaville, and Dumaine—whose pledge to devote themselves to study for three years away from the baleful influence of women is tested by the arrival of a French princess and her trio of companions, Rosaline, Maria, and Katharine. But these eight—obviously meant to make four couples—are surrounded by an array of colorful characters, including the absurdly pretentious schoolmasters Holofernes and Sir Nathaniel, the knight Don Armado (who falls for a rural girl with a rival suitor), and a bevy of garrulous rustics. The story culminates in a play within the play that is every bit as funny as the Pyramus and Thisbe sequence in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The entire cast is strong, but standouts include Michelle Terry as the princess, Trystan Gravelle as Berowne, and Paul Ready as the lovesick Don Armado. And one could hardly ask for better pedants than Christopher Godwin and Patrick Godfrey. Sporting spare but attractive sets and colorful costumes, this production is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the ear. DVD extras include a cast gallery. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)