Watch michelle terry as beatrice and edward bennett as benedick in act 1 scene 1 of our production of loves labours won or much ado. This imaginative pairing of loves labours lost with much ado about nothing here given the title of a famously lost shakespeare play makes total sense. Loves labours won starring michelle terry with his mysterious title applied here to much ado about nothing, shakespeares tale of relationships beginning and ending is brought to life in this edwardian reimagining from the royal shakespeare company. Better known as much ado about nothing, the play is performed under the title loves labours won, a name possibly attributed to it during shakespeare s lifetime. In 2014 we paired loves labours lost with loves labours won much ado about nothing at the royal shakespeare theatre. The worldweary benedick and his friend claudio find themselves reacquainted with beatrice and hero. Loves labours lost loves labours won much ado about nothing its such a clever idea to join two of shakespeares most sparkling romantic comedies by setting them. She has directed classics, new plays and musicals in london and the us. Loves labours lost rsc tickets theatre royal haymarket.
David fanstones verse play takes as its starting point the fact that henslowes diary includes reference to as play called loves labours won, but that no such script has ever been found. Loves labours lost is probably best known for being ignored. Scholars dispute whether it is a true lost work, possibly a sequel to loves labours lost, or an alternative title to a known shakespeare play. Rsc loves labours lost tickets london from the box. Loves labours won is a lost play attributed by contemporaries to william shakespeare, written before 1598 and published by 1603, though no copies are known to have survived.
Shakespeares loves labours won play was written prior to 1598 and probably published by 1603, though no known copies have survived. Loves labours lost and loves labours won are at the royal shakespeare theatre until 14 march 2015. The 1598 quarto was printed seemingly from an authorial working draft showing signs of revision. An enchanting, whimsical, funny and modern interpretation of loves labours lost and much. Loves labours lost, early comedy in five acts by william shakespeare, written sometime between 1588 and 1597, more likely in the early 1590s, and published in a quarto edition in 1598, with a title page suggesting that an earlier quarto had been lost. Direct from acclaimed runs in stratforduponavon and chichester, the rscs loves labours lost transfers to the west end in an uplifting pairing with much ado about nothing loves labours won. Loves labours won trailer royal shakespeare company. Whether loves labours won was indeed a lost play not listed in the canon of accepted shakespeare plays is a question that cannot be resolved without further evidence. Watch michelle terry as beatrice and edward bennett as benedick in act 1 scene 1 of our production of loves labours won or much ado about nothing directe. A jests prosperity lies in the ear of him that hears it, never in the tongue of him that makes it. As it was presented before her highnes this last christmas. Loves labours won much ado about nothing, directed by christopher luscombe, 2014. Why did william shakespeare write loves labours lost. In 1993 ian judge directed what was often referred to.
We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. Book your tickets for loves labours lost royal shakespeare company at the theatre royal haymarket with london box office, official agent for londons west end shows. Loves labours won or much ado about nothing, directed by christopher luscombe, will be broadcast live to cinemas from the royal. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee support for browsers with javascript disabled, you may experience some difficulties using this website. Its a clever play, devoid of the kind of battles and wars so often found in many of shakespeares other works. In that play, it was the lady who rejected the man. Recorded live at the royal shakespeare theatre, stratforduponavon, march 2015.
Loves labours won royal shakespeare company digital. Loves labours lost play performed at the royal shakespeare company, stratforduponavon photo. The post, by elizabeth sharrock, can be read below. As memories of conflict give way to a life of parties and masked balls, claudio and hero fall madly, deeply in love, while. On 4 march 2015 loves labours won was broadcast live from the royal shakespeare theatre to cinemas worldwide. With his mysterious title applied here to much ado about nothing, shakespeare s tale of relationships beginning and ending is brought to life in this edwardian reimagining from the royal shakespeare company. Bringing christmas tidings and lavish edwardian settings, its a labour of love for the royal shakespeare company rsc. This photo shows the title page of the camera script for part two of the production. Loves labours won royal shakespeare theatre 28 february 2015 4 stars.
With his mysterious title applied here to much ado about nothing, shakespeares tale of relationships beginning and ending is brought to life in this edwardian reimagining from the royal shakespeare company. They have been at a great feast of languages, and stolen the scraps. Christopher luscombe, the director, tells us that he was asked by the royal shakespeare company to pair up loves labours lost and much ado about nothing. Music and speeches, an album by royal shakespeare company on spotify.
Loves labours lost is one of william shakespeares early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid1590s for a performance at the inns of court before queen elizabeth i. Scholars dispute whether it is a true lost work, possibly a sequel to loves labours lost, or. More than one scene in the tv series wolf hall has shown gentlemen and ladies of the court of henry viii practicing archery as a pastime. Shakespeare, w loves labours lost loves labours won royal shakespeare theatre, 2015 special edition bluray, hd by william shakespeare. With his mysterious title applied here to much ado about nothing, shakespeares tale of relationships beginning. Captured live in stratforduponavon, this adaptation was paired with loves labours lost, with both productions featuring the same company of actors and set. Loves labours lost royal shakespeare company tickets. In order to dedicate themselves to a life of study, the king and his friends take an oath to avoid the company of women for three years. Following the productions 2014 run in stratfordupon avon and a subsequent run in chichester, the rsc chichester festival theatre productions of christopher luscombes heartwarming double bill loves labours lost and much ado about nothing or loves labours won will transfer to the theatre royal haymarket for a limited season. Shakespeares comic romance loves labours won plays out amidst the brittle high spirits of a postwar house party, as youthful passions run riot, lovers are deceived, and happiness is threatened before peace ultimately wins the day. Reflections arising from recent productions of loves labours lost and as you like it. With david horovitch, thomas wheatley, flora spencerlonghurst, michelle terry. Review of loves labours lost, royal shakespeare company, stratfordonavon. Captured live in stratforduponavon, this adaptation was paired with loves labours won much ado about nothing, with both productions featuring the same.
Whether or not shakespeares lost play, loves labours won, is actually lost or just a different name for one of the extant plays in the canon turns out, really, to be much ado about nothing. It follows the king of navarre and his three companions as they attempt to swear off the company of women for three years in order to focus on study and fasting. With sam alexander, leah whitaker, edward bennett, william belchambers. Shakespeares comedy, otherwise known as much ado about nothing, set in the autumn of 1918, as the war draws to a close. Shakespeares play loves labours lost is a comedy about language and love, with an unexpected ending for young people of all ages, this play provides a great opportunity to explore the genre of comedy as well as lots of key themes, including. Alumni and friends are invited back to kings to enjoy a live screening of loves labours lost perfromed by the royal shakespeare company, broadcast live from the royal shakespeare theatre in stratforduponavon to venues across the uk summer 1914. The production was also broadcast into schools as part of the rscs education resources. The first theory, and probably the most obvious, is that shakespeare did indeed write a play titled loves labours won and it just didnt survive with other plays that did manage to be passed down through time. Many thanks, elizabeth, for sharing your wonderful insights with the.
No sooner have they made their idealistic pledge than the princess of france and her ladiesinwaiting arrive, presenting the men with a severe. Loves labours won aka much ado about nothing is set in 1918 after the war and with the same cast and is equally excellent. This wont be the first rsc production of the play to be set in this period. Christopher luscombe directs the second of shakespeare s matching pair of comedies that rejoice in our capacity to find love in the most unlikely places. Christopher luscombe has created a magical double bill for the royal shakespeare company. It is my belief that loves labours lost was first performed, in private performance, in the grounds of place house, titchfield, at whitsun in 1592.
Loves labours won or much ado about nothing, directed by christopher luscombe, will be broadcast live to cinemas from the royal shakespeare theatre, on 4 march 2015. In loves labours lost, love is the great synthesizer of humanity. Philip henslowe was a wellknown elizabethan entrepreneur who undertook a wide range of. It was originally written for an elite audience, most likely a royal celebration, and has since become one of shakespeares. Loves labours won royal shakespeare company digital theatre. Loves labours lost royal shakespeare company digital. Loves labours lost loves labours won much ado about. Following past productions of romeo and juliet and double falsehood comes their stab at shakespeares comedy of words, loves labours lost. There are 2 schools of thought on loves labours won one that the play is a lost sequel to loves labours lost, the other that the title is an alternative name for an already known shakespeare play. Gregory doran, the artistic director of rsc, defends the title change by saying that nobody has yet given me any evidence to suggest that much ado about nothing cannot have been loves labours won. Its not just physical, spiritual, or intellectual its all of the above.
Loves labours lost is a comedy about young love, with an unexpected and unsettling ending. Shakespeare wrote loves labours lost early in his career about 1594, when he was concerned more with words than with characters. Upandcoming coeurage theatre company makes a practice of including a shakespeare play on its eclectic schedule each season. This does not apply to the situation illustrated in loves labours lost. The royal shakespeare company, chichester festival theatre and theatre royal haymarket present shakespeares two comedies loves labours lost and much ado about nothing. Act 1 scene 1 loves labours won royal shakespeare company. Some of the proponents of this theory point out that loves labours lost, a play that does survive today, would. Christopher luscombe 2014 production much ado about. Concerning the ending of shakespeares loves labours lost. Captured live in stratforduponavon, this adaptation was paired with loves labours lost, with both productions featuring the same. Loves labours lost is to be set in the summer of 1914, seen with hindsight as a golden time just before the beginning of the war to end all wars. One of his earliest comedies, shakespeares tale of love and courtship is brought to life in this edwardian reimagining from the royal shakespeare company. And in shakespeares loves labours lost the princess of france and her ladies take aim.
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