Indiana Lown-Collins' production of Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost at the Globe Theatre is a flamenco-infused romp that, despite overdoing the Spanish gags, proves a fun evening out. The production runs from 2 August to 13 September 2026.
Flamenco Energy Overload
The Spanish theme is dialled up to 11: Spanish accents, castanets, stomping dance, and even Shakespearean spins on 'Despacito' and 'Livin' La Vida Loca'. The Globe's website bills it as 'Shakespeare with Flamenco', and it delivers exactly that. The dance becomes a language itself, bookending scenes, building tension with claps, and expressing fiery emotion. Guitar strums infuse the production with passion.
Cast Highlights
Norah Lopez Holden is a scene-stealing Princess, particularly in a full-bodied pasodoble where she plays the matador to express reluctance to kill a deer. Andro Crespo brings full-throttle theatricality to Armado, while Katy Stephens' Holofernes works as a featherbrained schoolteacher in polka dots. However, the Spanish theme goes overboard, leaving supporting characters grasping for identity.
Production Challenges
Traditionally one of Shakespeare's trickiest plays, Love's Labour's Lost veers into strange subplots and dense wordplay with Latin and elaborate puns, culminating in an unexpectedly melancholy final scene. Lown-Collins' production doesn't combat these issues—Latin is swapped for Spanish quips, and the ending remains—but the Globe audience is rarely seen having so much fun.
Practical Information
Shakespeare's Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT. Nearest Tube: Blackfriars/Mansion House/London Bridge. Tickets £5-£85. Running time: 2hr 35min. Performances include 2 Aug at 14:00 and 18:30, 6 Aug at 19:30, 7 Aug at 14:00, 8 Aug at 19:30, 28 Aug at 19:30, 29 Aug at 14:00, 30 Aug at 14:00 and 18:30, and 2 Sept at 14:00. According to Time Out critic Anya Ryan, 'My advice? Sit back and enjoy the dance. Oh, and if you can sneak a sangria in, that wouldn't go amiss.'
