Love's Labour's Lost (Gene Frankel Theatre) NYC Reviews and Tickets

66%

(30 Ratings)

Positive

47%

Mixed

37%

Negative

16%

Members say

Disappointing, Entertaining, Ambitious, Indulgent, Confusing

About the Show

Conspicuously poetic and teeming with flirtatious word play, Shakespeare’s frolicking love story moves to the summer of Woodstock, celebrating the romance and togetherness inherent in both.

From the show:

Just as the King of Navarre and his three cohorts sequester themselves and swear off women with a three-year vow of chastity, four remarkably beautiful women arrive as emissaries from France to meet with the King. Their plan derailed from the start, the men decide that divinity is, in fact, only found in the eye of a woman and love the only worthy study of mankind. Interspersed with the hits of the era from The Doors, Jackson Browne, Jesse Colin Young, and more—performed live by the cast—this LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST seamlessly blends Shakespeare’s immortal words with the unforgettable tunes that inspired a generation to live with love.

Show-Score Member Reviews (30)

Great writing, Great singing, Great acting, Funny, Delightful

See it if you love Shakespearean comedy and Woodstock era rock and the combination makes your spirits soar, even if some dialog is unintelligible.

Don't see it if You can’t sit for 2 hrs. of difficult to comprehend Elizabethan English and sophomoric romantic and sexual actions, jokes, and references Read more

Shakespeare is never better than when its living

See it if You appreciate that Shakespeare is meant to be living and continously rethought, and you love music of the sixties.

Don't see it if You are looking to see a staid, traditional Shakespearean performance.

A winning production of a difficult shakespearean play, Refreshing, Entertaining, Ambitious

See it if Best seen if you're familiar with the play; it's wordy and somewhat complicated. The integration of love-themed 60's music worked for me

Don't see it if You are bored by wordy repartee with little action.

Delightful, Great singing, Entertaining, Refreshing, Ambitious

See it if you relate to music of the mid-late 1960's so wonderfully woven into this Shakespeare tale to make it wildly accessible to new audiences.

Don't see it if you expect a traditional production of the Bard's work or do not appreciate small productions with young talent.

Fairly clear, Musical, Fun, Engaging

See it if you’d like to see a passably clear, engaging version of an infrequently performed Shakespeare comedy.

Don't see it if you have an aversion to pop music ca. 1964-69. Read more

Dated, Funny, Enchanting

See it if you want an experimental take on a lesser performed play, like word play and adding singing to Shakespeare.

Don't see it if mind a weak plot and while the performances are okay none are powerful and the humor doesn't always land. Read more

Indulgent, Quirky, Entertaining, Ambitious

See it if you want to support fine efforts by acting school students giving their all; enjoy quirky adaptations & sets (Woodstock & music elements).

Don't see it if you're not ready to focus 100% to absorb the text in verse—I wasn't & left at break. You want a polished production, sets, venue & ensemble.

Cute and enjoyable

See it if you want to support director Thomas G. Waites' TGW Acting Studio, whose students perform in this 1960s-set LLL w/ pros. Stars slow, but fun.

Don't see it if You want your Shakespeare pure & unadulterated. Here, the lovers court dressed as The Beetles, & WS text is amusingly altered to match. Read more

Trailer

Creative team