Folger Shakespeare Theatre: Love's Labor's Lost

A little break from My Little Garden Zoo recap.

Shakespeare's "Love's Labor's Lost" is, according to the dramaturg, one of his earliest comedies, circa 1594-96, but it's not his first, and it comes after three of his more acclaimed comedies (in order): "A Comedy of Errors," "The Taming of the Shrew," and "Two Gentlemen of Verona".  I've seen all three, and overall "Love's Labor's Lost" measures up quite well.  In fact, I can't think of another comedy in which the word play was at times so convoluted in a lightning fast, playful way that was such a delight to unwind.  This play also holds the distinction of having the most rhyming couplets of any of his plays.  However, it does suffer from a lousy ending.  I thought the same fate befell his comedy "Twelfth Night".  In both cases, I came to the productions knowing little more than there titles.  The ending is both ironic and clever, it just tries too hard to connect wash set of dots to the point of slowing down the momentum to the point that outstrips the gravitas therein offered.  It is a comedy.  I feel like the actor who played Berowne understood this completely when he held back the last word of his last line and then delivered it sotto voce to the audience with perfect timing.  Everyone burst into laughter because, 1) it was funny as hell, and 2) the last 10 minutes as boring as hell.

To the cast, it was a wonderful mix of old familiar faces and newbe some of whom where using this production to debut in the region.  Zachary Fine, who played Berowne, was the lynchpin to the entire production, but every member was well suited for their role and well ensconced in the zeitgeist created by the ensemble.  Having said that, I have four more shout outs.

• Tonya Beckman - She did double duty as both Boyet and Jacquenetta, and here's the thing: I didn't realize this until I came home and was perusing the program notes more carefully!
• Megan Graves - Once again the perfect "boy", fearless and utterly convincing.
• Louis Butelli and
• Susan Rome as Holofernes and the Nathaniel respectively.  They were a tour de force of chemistry and comic timing--a delight to watch.

The set was stunning in both its utility to the action of the play and its imposing detailing.  The costumes were lovely and well suited to the chosen placement in time of a "Great Gatsby"-esque mansion for the rogish King of Navarre.  Several parts of dialogue were converted into song with music composed for this production and in a style harmonious to the time period.

the partially obstructed view from my seat...

I have to tell you, even with the speed bump at the very end, for $25.00 dollars, this was money well spent!--[My "partially obstructed" view seating notwithstanding].  The person to my right paid $63.00 for essentially the same experience, and from her endless chatter with her husband enjoyed it a hell of a lot less!  Hmmm...