By Chase Johnson
I have had the excellent luck to be able to go see Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s production of Love’s Labor’s Lost. Directed by Matthew Lewis Johnson (no relation) I was intrigued by the concept. Setting one of the Bard’s plays about love in a Breakfast Club or Fast Times at Ridgemont High style 1980’s high school is at first glance a risky and interesting choice. Cincy Shakes is known for creative reinventions of Shakespeare’s works and this is certainly a creative gamble. I am happy to say that it pays off. I laughed hysterically through out the piece. The music sections and dance, and the ending scene as an homage to the closing moments of the Breakfast Club work so well with the text.
The Story
The story as it is is thus. King Ferdinand of Navarra bans all women from his court so he and his companions may focus on academic pursuits for 3 years. Naturally this comes with humiliation as a punishment, and fasting. Ferdinand’s decree get his fool Cotard in trouble for seeing the lady Jaquinetta and leaves Cotard in the custody of visiting Spaniard Don Armando who also has feelings for Jaquinetta. Then the ladies of the French Aristocracy make a visit that Ferdinand forgot was already happening before his decree. Ironically the King and his companions each fall for a lady of the French court. Hilarity ensues as the lords try to keep their oaths and fall deeply in love trying to hide it from their own companions.
Strong Slapstick and Physical Humor
Each actor in this show gives it their all and it pays off massively. The Lords of the Court pull off the high school gang of boys well with each of them Ferdinand (Patrick Earl Phillips), Berowne (K.P. Powell), Longaville (Grant Niezgodski), and Dumaine (Jason Coffenberry). The Lords play up the similarities between young Elizabethan lords and love struck teens well. Other than Shakespeare’s English you could easily place any of them in the Breakfast Club or really any other John Hughes movie.
Their counterparts the Ladies also add to the fun with The Princess of France (Courtney Lucien), Maria (Elizabeth Chinn Malloy), Katherine (Dani Grace Nissen), and Rosaline (Jasimine Bouldin) who contribute to some of the incredibly funny scenes such as the archery hunt, and the masquerade ball both of which had me laugh riotously. Costard (Jeremy Dubin) causes chaos and is a big part of the insanity of the show along with Don Armando (Giles Davis) and Jaquenetta (Hannah Gregory). Each provide endless slapstick and raunchy humor.
Production Team
This set is a 80’s movie fever dream. Neon Lights (Watson, Lighting Designer) bright pastel colors, and costumes (Rainy Edwards, Costumes) that look ripped straight from the John Hughes being a high schooler in the 80’s catalog. Excellent work all around by the design team including Bryce Carson, Kayla Cieslinski, Jared Earland, and the rest of the team. The use of space and color is strong. The locker room scenes are particularly fun with movable set pieces (Samantha Reno, Scenery) and comical water faucet sound effects (Robert Carlton Stimmel, Sound). It sells the feel of the play and above all, provides a lively set of stage pictures. The production and design teams are to be commended for their excellent work.
The Bottom Line
Go see this show. I would advise that it has plenty of raunchy humor both in Shakespeares word play and in several visual gags. It’s hilarious, but may not be totally appropriate for younger audiences.
For Tickets and More Information
Love’s Labour’s Lost is at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company from November 14th to December 6th, 2025.
You can Get tickets at the link. https://cincyshakes.com/on-stage
