Who can blame most productions of Love’s Labour’s Lost for taking some liberties with the original script? The play’s myriad of pedantic puns and allusions originally designed for educated students of the Elizabethan Inns of Court can be no fun for a modern audience to sit through, particularly when recited by actors with as little clue as to their meaning as their onlookers have. Thankfully, this production avoids this: the play is sensibly edited into a tight, one hour and forty minute-long performance and remains faithful to the story whilst cutting out unnecessary and confusing excess.

The play follows four wealthy men falling in love with four wealthy women who, as soon as they stop lying to each other about the presence of their shared predicament, attempt to woo the coy creatures and eventually succeed – a victory to be followed by a bitter twist in the tale. The staging of this particular production knew its audience: the modern costume choices of sundresses, sunglasses and cricket sweaters slung over shoulders can’t help but convey a nod towards May Week. Considering the frivolous then serious trajectory of the narrative, it’s not an inappropriate association.

This rendering offers a strong ensemble cast. Berowne, played by John Haidar, in particular amused; George Johnston’s king and Hannah Crawford’s princess, leaders of the lovers’ set, are very watchable together. Crucially, actors could be heard over the wind rustling through the trees and the occasional plane flying overhead (except for one or two of the female-played characters, on occasion). Best of all the performances making up the play’s sub-plots was Dull (played by James Swanton and his wonderfully twitchy, lugubrious face), a turn at first comedic but eventually ending the play in line with the final scene’s sombre, guilt-ridden tone.

Various touches ensure the play’s relevance. Appropriate to the intimate, sitting-on-the-grass setting, bunting pinned low to the ground the only separator between stage and seating, the audience and the setting feel in on the action. Ostensibly set in ‘Navarre Country Park’, photographs of Selwyn College are pinned next to the board displaying this name. When hiding from his fellow suitors, Berowne is crouching in the audience, critiquing the action through his asides. The final lines of the play have been altered very effectively. Rather than a separation of the two groups of people with the anticipated "You that way: we this way", there is further reference to the staging’s surroundings and thus a further combining of audience and actors: Dull delivers an epilogue that assures the audience they must clap "as sure as May week is in June". This kind of staging admirably extends Shakespeare’s exploration of the play-within-a-play theme, as well as his pastiching of contemporary poetic convention, yet in an accessible way.

Although possessing some flaws, this production of Love’s Labour’s Lost is an enjoyably pertinent and accomplished staging of a play that it can be difficult to ensure interesting, and I highly doubt there’s more of an appropriate Shakespearean offering for May Week. Catch a performance of this short run if you possibly can.