The show: The Elm Shakespeare Company presents a free outdoor show of “Love’s Labour’s Lost” — a rarely produced early Shakespeare play — through Sept. 2 in Edgerton Park.
First impressions: Linguistic razzmatazz and poetry rather than narrative strength is the thing. This playful mating dance among young lovers of college age in this university town has added significance in this new era of relationships. Production has plenty of charm, humor and substance, though the Bard’s verbosity can sometimes be over-the-top.
The plot: Ferdinand, the young King of Navarre (Martin Lewis) and his three courtier pals (Aaron Bartz, Michael Hinton, Kingston Farady) forswear the distraction of women and other pleasures for what they see as the far nobler pursuit of the mind. The king’s BFF Berowne (Bartz) immediately sees the futility of the challenge — but goes along anyway, what with royal peer pressure and all.
But these best laid plans are tested when the Princess of France (Rachel Clausen) and her trio of self-assured ladies of the court arrive on state business and challenge the men’s character, will and libido.
But these are ladies-in-waiting for the noble frat boys to grow up. In a clever switcheroo, the women discover that they are merely interchangeable objects of affection to these fools for love and decide that — despite the guys’ original lofty pursuits — more enlightenment is needed when it comes to true love.
Brightening the schematic narrative are simple subplots involving a lovesick Spanish noble, a dull policeman, a rustic clown, a curate and a pompous schoolmaster Holofernes (Benjamin Curns, very good — think “Frasier.”)
Elm’s production: Rebecca Goodheart (a name born to stage the Bard) directs the work with a playful and musical touch and navigates through the denser linguistic passages with, if not clarity, at least a sense of dispatch.
There are smart and witty conceits throughout, from Izmir Ickbal’s handsome set which well-defines the busy landscape to clever comic inventions, including an Elizabethan rap and a wild Russian dance. And just watch what Berowne does with his love note —followed by an even funnier maneuver. But one is most struck in this production by a subtext of contemporary relevance. Think Elizabethan “locker room talk” and #methinkstoo.
Goodheart sets the production in the dawn of modernity, around 1910 or so. As she writes in the program: “It’s a time when the old rules are changing and we don’t know quite yet what the new rules are.” Sound familiar? Well, it’s a new world for these noble boys-to-men.
Change is hard — but it’s also madly entertaining to watch the struggle to gain a greater understanding of life and, most significantly, love.
The performances: Some master Shakespeare’s text better than others. After an overall awkward opening scene, Bartz finds solid footing and makes Berowne a fascinating, conflicted character. A very fine Lori Vega makes a smart, moderne Rosaline, more than Berowne’s equal. James Andreassi lives up to the description of the “fantastical Spaniard.” Brianna Bauch plays his page, Moth, with sweet comic and musical support. Martin Jason Asprey plays Costard with vim and vinegar. Gracy Brown makes Boyet a no-nonsense, chipper chaperone. Rachel Clausen is especially touching in the end as the oddly nameless Princess of France.
And all ends happily?: Guess again. This is one of the Bard’s more bittersweet endings. As the men go off to prove their newfound maturity and the women prepare to wait, there comes a separate, exquisite peace coming not from love’s labour’s lost but love’s lessons learned. It kind of ends like a sophisticated indie film.
Who will like it: Yalies. Millennials trying to figure out the rules of the game. Young women who seek smart role models.
Who won’t: Those who find Elizabethan word-play tiresome.
For the kids: Without Pucks or poisons or gender bending, kiddies will be bored by the linguistic schtick. But teens will relate to the youthful characters and ever-changing nature of young love.
Twitter review in 280 characters or less: Words sometimes get in the way, but sometime soar, making this a labour of love.
Thoughts on leaving the parking lot: One can just feel Shakespeare’s masterpieces about to burst in this early play, with themes, characters and even moments that Shakespeare lands more solidly in his later works, such as “Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Much Ado About Nothing.” Even a moment when Holofernes is humiliated by the young male nobles brings to mind the cruel joke played on Malvolio in “Twelfth Night.”
The basics: The show, continuing through Sept. 2, runs two hours with no intermission at Edgerton Park’s Great Lawn, New Haven. Performances are Tuesdays through Sundays at 8 p.m. with musical entertainment by the cast beginning at 7:30 p.m. No tickets or reservations needed. Seating is open on the grass; bring your own lawn chairs or blankets; blanket-only seating down front. elmshakespeare.org.
Editor’s note: Former Courant arts critic Frank Rizzo makes a guest appearance as the reviewer for this show because arts critic Christopher Arnott is on vacation.
