Shakespeare’s Globe in London is reimagining Love’s Labour’s Lost by integrating professional flamenco dance and music to contrast the play’s wordy pedantry with visceral physicality. Director Indiana Lown-Collins is using the art form’s focus on “passion, love, sex, and death” to bring the audience out of their heads and into their bodies, according to reports from The Guardian.
Integrating Flamenco into Shakespearean Comedy
Director Indiana Lown-Collins, who is half-Spanish and grew up in Spain, chose Love’s Labour’s Lost specifically for its linguistic complexity. The play, often called the “feast of languages,” features a high volume of couplets and rhyming schemes. Lown-Collins noted that some actors have begun following the rhythm of the flamenco composer rather than traditional Shakespearean meter to better align the dialogue with the music.
The production utilizes the unique acoustics of the Globe’s oak stage to amplify the “rat-a-tat rhythm” of hard-heeled boots. Lown-Collins stated that the physical presence provided by flamenco—specifically the posture and power derived from the footwear—helps actors move away from a more “apologetic” British cultural stance toward a celebration of physical humanity.
Did you know? The production features only two professional flamenco dancers, Pablo Egea and Anita La Maltesa. The rest of the cast undergoes a three-hour daily “bootcamp” led by choreographer Carmen Igarza to master the complex footwork.
The Role of Matriarchy and Power Dynamics
Lown-Collins has positioned the “matriarchy” as the heart and soul of this production. In Love’s Labour’s Lost, a Spanish king and his lords attempt to ban women from their court, only to fall for a foreign princess and her ladies. Lown-Collins uses flamenco to illustrate the power of these women as they “take by storm” a court that is not theirs.
During rehearsals, this power shift is visualized by women descending staircases to surround and encroach upon the men in the center of the stage. According to Lown-Collins, flamenco serves as the “life force” that bursts out when the male characters can no longer contain their suppressed feelings.
Musical Composition and Performance
The auditory landscape of the show is driven by on-stage musicians. The music is composed by flamenco guitarists Michael McMahon and Adrián Solá, with vocals provided by singer Carlos Lobo Cordón. This live integration ensures that the visceral nature of the music directly influences the pacing of the actors’ delivery.
Future Trends in Interdisciplinary Theatre
By pairing the “wordy pedantry” of early Shakespeare with a global art form like flamenco, the production addresses the challenge of making dense, archaic language accessible through emotional and physical cues.
This shift toward sensory-driven performance is designed to culminate in audience participation. Lown-Collins expressed hope that by the time the final jig arrives, the audience will be inspired to dance, breaking the traditional barrier between the performer and the spectator.
Quick Comparison: Traditional vs. Flamenco-Infused Shakespeare
| Element | Traditional Approach | Lown-Collins Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Rhythm | Iambic pentameter | Flamenco compositions |
| Physicality | Staged blocking | High-impact dance/bootcamp |
| Focus | Intellectual/Textual | Visceral/Physical |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is directing the flamenco version of Love’s Labour’s Lost?
Indiana Lown-Collins, who grew up in Spain.
How are the non-professional dancers learning flamenco?
The cast participates in a three-hour daily bootcamp led by choreographer Carmen Igarza.
Why was flamenco chosen for this specific play?
Lown-Collins believes flamenco’s themes of passion, sex, and death complement the play’s narrative, while its physical nature balances the “wordy” dialogue.
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