All Kinds of Woman

Synopsis: Audio podcast. First episode of an all-black radio serialisation of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost, set at Howard University in the 1930’s. Episode scripts were adapted and produced by Catherine Eaton and rendered into modern English verse by Josh Wilder. The production was directed by Nelson T. Eusebio III.

1. The King of Navarre gathers together with his best friends (Longaville, Dumaine and Berowne) in the library at Howard University where he gets them to agree that they will devote themselves entirely to their studies without dating or indulging in food, drink or sleep for three full years. Berowne protests and reminds the King that the Princess of France is going to arrive soon to plead a case on behalf of her ailing father. The King promises to handle the situation and Berowne agrees to stick with his vow despite his reservations. They decide they’ll amuse themselves during their downtime by laughing at the antics of Don Adriano de Armado, a visiting scholar from Spain who is hilariously full of himself. Almost as soon as the King’s proclamation is issued, Sir Anthony Dull delivers a letter from Armado accusing Costard, a groundskeeper at Howard, of having an affair with Jaquenetta, a young lady who lives nearby. The King punishes Costard with a week of fasting on bread and water. Meanwhile, Armado confesses privately to his young friend and confidante, a Custodial Assistant named Moth, that he is painfully in love with Jaquenetta and vows to win her affections.
Series: Play on Podcasts: Love’s Labour’s Lost
Language: English
Country: United States
Medium: Audio
Notes: Part of the ‘Play On Shakespeare’ project to create more contemporary and accessible versions of the texts for performance.
Subjects: Drama; Shakespeare
Keywords: radio drama