Thursday night saw a nearly-filled Theresa Lang Theater for the opening night of the Marymount Manhattan College (MMC) adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost. MMC’s Theatre Production Workshop presented the Shakespeare comedy with their own take; a contemporary version of the Elizabethan-era play. The choice to curate the production was a decision made by the company in order to emphasize the themes of the play while holding true to much of the original Shakespearean language.
“We chose an academic setting during the late 1950s with an all-female and non-binary identifying lovers to highlight the risk and revolution that it takes to lead an authentic life in contrast to an accepted life,” said Love’s Labour’s Lost Director Carter Gill.
The play had content warnings for sword fighting, blood, violence, strong language, etc, but its central theme was love. Love’s Labour’s Lost tells the story of the Queen of Navarre and her courtiers played by Hope Urbonas, Mia Caccavaro, Molly Brennan, and Jenny Delorimier, as they struggle to hold true to their strict academic vows after the arrival of the Princess of France and her ambassadors, played by Olivia Coronel, Emily Araujo, Sophie Tyler, and Abby Mulligan. The subplots are also overflowing with the romance of Doña Adriana De Armada and Jaquenetta, played by Sam Ranis and Jacki Carney, and the humorous mishaps conducted by Costard played by Reese Warren.
The actors gave their roles flair and notability, and despite the play having a cast of 18, each character was memorable. One noteworthy character, Dull, played by Katrina Edwards, broke away from the Shakespearean language and replaced it with a New Yorker Accent, which gave the role a comedic twist. Another memorable individual was Melina Walko as Holofernes; a pretentious schoolteacher with an impressive vocal range and a hilarious side-kick Sir Nathanial played by SG Baxter.
The MMC adaptation included several musical numbers, two choreographed aisle entrances, and one notable interactive section where the Princess of France (Olivia Coronel) led the audience in a Dora The Explorer inspired segment. The play lasted around 2 hours and had a production team of 18 and a production staff of over 30. The student-constructed set created a stunning backdrop for Love’s Labour’s Lost, complete with a balcony, four doors, one gate, and a fountain with running water. Every detail appeared carefully fashioned; a feat that was especially impressive considering the unfinished state of the set just days before opening as seen on Honors Day.
The costumes created a satisfying harmony between the 1950s academic setting and the Shakespearean theme, and the accessorization of each character assisted the storytelling. Overall, the Theatre Production Workshop produced an impressive and comical adaptation of the famous Shakespeare comedy. Love’s Labour’s Lost gave the audience reason to laugh, cry, and be on the edge of their seats, leaving them with an uncertain but hopeful future and a “Huzzah!”
