Director Toby Gordon says, “New rules are in place in the Kingdom of Navarre. Young King Ferdinand persuades his companions to join him in an oath of abstinence and study.
The terms of the oath are clear: no woman shall come within a mile of the court. Any man seen talking with a woman shall endure such public shame as the rest of the court can possibly devise.
The conviction of the men of Navarre is soon put to the test when the Princess of France and her companions arrive on urgent diplomatic business. How can the men possibly navigate this visit without breaking their oath?
Bring your picnic and wine, your sunglasses and your participatory spirit, and join Shakespeare in the Squares for a summer cocktail of poetic pageantry and light-hearted lunacy, featuring rock and pop classics from the 1960s and ’70s.
Come and join us in Navarre for a sparkling night of flirtation and foolishness as we celebrate our 10th anniversary in summer 2026.”
Review by Claire-Monique Martin
Celebrating a tenth anniversary should feel exactly that—a celebration. For a company like Shakespeare in the Squares, which has built its reputation on energetic, accessible outdoor Shakespeare, I arrived expecting Love’s Labour’s Lost to be a joyous coming together of artists, embracing both the audience and each other. Unfortunately, while there were moments that reminded me why this company has become such a summer favourite, this production ultimately felt like a tale of two halves.
When reviewing outdoor theatre, I deliberately avoid sitting close to the action. Instead, I choose a seat further back to see whether the actors can engage the entire audience, whether the acoustics work across the space, and whether the storytelling remains clear beyond the front rows. Some of the cast managed this effortlessly; others seemed to perform only for those immediately in front of them.
The standout performances came from Flo Lunnon, Emma Manton, John Holt-Roberts and Dexter Southern. Every time these four shared the stage, the production came alive. They listened, reacted, supported one another and worked as a genuine ensemble—precisely what I have come to expect from Shakespeare in the Squares. Their performances were full of energy and clarity, and crucially, every word reached the audience.
The principal quartet, however, never quite found the chemistry needed to drive the play. Niall Ransome and Nathan Musoki both worked hard with their portrayals and brought commitment to their roles, but the romantic relationships struggled to convince because there simply wasn’t enough connection with their leading ladies. Shakespeare’s comedies depend on believable relationships, and without that spark, much of the emotional investment is lost.
Rhiannon Neads‘ Rosaline and Laura Andresen Guimarães‘ Princess of France never quite captured the wit and intelligence that make these two women such compelling Shakespearean characters. Instead, their portrayals seemed far more like “mean girls” than a close-knit sisterhood. Shakespeare’s women can be fiercely independent, razor-sharp and confident without becoming unpleasant, but here their interactions often lacked warmth, making it difficult to invest in either the friendships or the romantic relationships at the heart of the play.
There were also moments where small details became unexpectedly distracting. A sequence involving golf clubs with the Princess of France and her entourage drew attention for the wrong reasons. If a prop forms part of a visual joke, it needs to be believable. Incorrect grips and swings were noticeable enough that my focus drifted away from Shakespeare’s language and onto whether anyone had ever actually held a golf club before.
Musically, the production showcases the strengths of its actor-musician company. The cast handles the instrumental performances with confidence, and the music brings real energy and atmosphere to the production. However, the overall sound balance wasn’t always right. Too often, the woodwind and brass overpowered the singing, with the saxophone in particular dominating the soundscape. In an actor-musician production, the music should enhance the storytelling rather than compete with it, and here it occasionally drowned out lyrics that deserved to be heard. A more sympathetic balance between the instruments and vocals would have allowed both to shine.
This production contains many lovely moments and flashes of the company at its best. Yet for a tenth anniversary, I wanted something that felt unified—a cast celebrating not only Shakespeare’s words but the ensemble spirit that has defined Shakespeare in the Squares for a decade. Too often, it felt as though half the cast were creating theatre together while the other half occupied the same stage without truly connecting.
So, was this labour lost on me? Not entirely. There is plenty here to enjoy, particularly in the work of the strongest ensemble members, but this anniversary production never quite reached the celebratory heights it promised. With greater cohesion, stronger chemistry among the principals and improved sound balance, it could become the joyful celebration that both Shakespeare and this company deserve.
Cast
- Laura Andresen Guimarães – Princess of France
- John Holt-Roberts – Costard
- Flo Lunnon – Katharine / Jaquenetta
- Emma Manton – Boyet
- Nathan Musoki – Ferdinand
- Rhiannon Neads – Rosaline
- Bella Padden – Maria
- Alex Wadham – Berowne
- James Wood – Longaville / Holofernes
- Sam Martin – Dumaine / Moth
- Michael Lyle – Don Adriano de Armado / Dull
Creative Team
- Director – Toby Gordon
- Founder Producer – Martin Neild
- Executive Producer & Marketing – Francesca Gregson
- Musical Director – Annemarie Lewis Thomas
- Designer – Sue Fletcher
- Company Stage Manager – Bethany Fulcher
- Costume Supervisor – Colette Redgrave
- Production Assistant – Camilla Cook
- Press – Eleanor (Distrikt Communications)
- Graphic Designer & Illustrator – Bella Padden
Tickets: Shakespeare in the Squares – Love’s Labour’s Lost (Official Booking)