The Ohio University School of Theater will put an Elizabethan twist on college culture tonight in its production of William Shakespeare's comedy Love's Labour's Lost.
The show begins with the King of Navarre, Ferdinand, and three members of his court taking an oath to their academic studies - swearing off food, sleep and women for three years. However, the prince's plan is ruined almost instantly as the Princess of France and her court arrives in Navarre on government business. Love's Labour's Lost is one of Shakespeare's earlier plays, published in 1598 as a comedy in his first collection.
They're like young frat house guys
full of testosterone said Director Shelley Delaney, adding that she briefly considered painting the set to resemble OU's College Gate. It's a college comedy and this is a university. They play with each other and screw around and flirt and bait exactly the way we would do it now.
OU graduate student Tom Morin, who plays Ferdinand, said the show parallels the college lifestyle beyond romance between the men and women.
When you first go to college
you do have these pie-in-the-sky ideas about what you want to do
and you go in and embrace those ideas. Then you slowly find out maybe that isn't exactly what (you) want anymore
he said. And I think that sort of journey is very relatable to a college audience.
Love's Labour's Lost is different from most Shakespeare productions because of the large number of roles available to women.
Being a female director and having spent my life as an actor
there is more opportunity for women in the show than most Shakespeare
Delaney said.
Graduate student Georgia Guy, who plays the princess, said working with so many women has helped form a strong bond within the cast.
In other Shakespeare productions I've been one of two or three women. Very rarely do you have women so dominant for so much of a play
she said. Even in the more contemporary pieces I've done (there were not many women.) It's nice.
Senior Kristin Shrilla, who plays Moth, said using the Shakespearian language is always difficult at the beginning but is attainable to a motivated audience.
The audience has to be prepared to be actively listening
Shrilla said. You can't just let it happen to you with Shakespeare
you have to engage with the actors a little bit.
Love's Labour's Lost opens at 8 tonight in the Forum Theater of the Radio Television Building. Admission is free for OU students.
