Necessity will Make us all Forsworn

Last night I got to see Micheal Kahn's production of Love's Labour Lost - a little know play of the the Bard's. Having been a fan of the Bard for a long time, I used to think Much Ado About Nothing was amongst his wittiest plays put forth, but now I think Love's has surpassed that in my own personal standings. Now mind you I still think Hamlet is his masterpiece, closely followed by Othello and then Richard III for his dramatic works. But for the more light hearted were I had Much Ado ranking first.. with Twelfe Night and Mid-Summers in close 2nd & third, Love's is definitely now in first for that category!

It was a perfect evening for the annual Free for all production run that is put on by The Shakespeare Theater Company here in D.C. (Last year they did Pericles). Even better was the fact that before hand I joined a great group of friends for a picnic. Best way to spend a Friday evening - I could do this all my life - sunny afternoon - full moon at night for the play. By the time I went to sleep I could hear the sound of beautiful thunder lolling me to sleep... so nice.

But the play has some very neat themes - both visually and in its words. Kahn (you've gotta love a guy who has that last name!!! KHAAAAAAANN!!!!!!) sets the play in the 60's in an Indian kingdom of some type. So the set is vibrant as the colors just pop out at you, and even though they use the Bard's words - I love it that they need not be the same old Englishmen, Italians, etc that we normally see adapted. One reason I love Shakespeare is because of his universitality.

There are a few themes that were summed up nicely in the play, one being the title of the post. The other is somewhat related quote is : "Let us once lose our oaths to find ourselves,
Or else we lose ourselves to keep our oaths." It is an interesting concept and a question that can cut deep down, but that would take a dissertation of my thoughts here (versus a simple few paragraphs) and is in relation to a book I re-read occasionally called The Four Agreements. Of course there are themes aplenty about love, and how we hide and pursue it. How shallow and deep it can be etc...

I found this video clip which includes scenes from the original run of the production and also which talks about other themes in the play I find interesting - even if it is partially in a Hindi dialect - it was still good.

Even if its not Kahn's production of this play, I suggest seeing it of at all possible! This one though was especially fun, if anything - to see some of the Bard's sonnets - put to Rock n Roll and girls in Go-Go Boots!!!