Love’s Labour’s Lost
18 June 2026
Albert Square Garden
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Shakespeare in the Squares has been touring London’s beautiful garden squares every summer for the past decade. This year, they are bringing Love’s Labour’s Lost to vibrant green spaces across the city. Audiences are invited to bring a picnic to enjoy before the show, bringing a lively atmosphere to the garden square long before the first line is uttered.
In the Kingdom of Navarre, young King Ferdinand and his companions swear an oath of abstinence and study for three years, forbidding women from coming within one mile of the court, and forbidding men from even speaking to women. Shortly after, the Princess of France arrives with her beautiful companions on urgent diplomatic business. How will the men navigate this sudden challenge to their sworn oath?
One of Shakespeare’s lesser staged comedies, it is a surprisingly accessible story of male desire and ideals, filled to the brim with pedantic humour, word play, and wonderfully witty women. This production really leans into the verbal sword fighting present through much of the narrative, playing up the humour with modern song and hilarious interludes. There is an inherent charm present throughout this open air performance.
The gorgeous costuming that leans on 60s and 70s fashion brings a modern air to the production, matching the music selection from the same decades very well. Lively and full of laugh-out-loud moments, the show holds the audience attention extremely well, from the youngest visitors to the occasional four-legged companion. Despite being a word-heavy play, the performance just flies by with musical interludes and swift costume changes, effortlessly entertaining and incredibly funny.
It’s a vibrant celebration of romance, steeped in societal expectations communicated through riotously funny banter. A brilliant production that really knows how to modernise Shakespeare without losing its essence.
