iambe theatre ensemble celebrates their fifth season with an all-female production of William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost, adapted by Lisa Dawn.

-Running October 3 -19
-Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2pm
-Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St, 8th floor (accessible by elevator) in downtown Elgin.

Tickets are $24/$22 for seniors (all fees included), and available at iambetheatreensemble.com

Cash, Zelle or Venmo only at the door.

Inquire about group/student rates at [email protected]

About the play: Love’s Labour’s Lost is Shakespeare’s most underrated rom-com. Four noble bros take a vow: no women, no distractions, just scholarly study. Cue the arrival of the Princess of France and her fierce lady friends, and the real education begins. Witty wordplay, foolish disguises, and a supporting list of in-lovable oddballs. Rated “S” for Shakespearean shenanigans, swoons, and self-discovery.

This production challenges traditional gender roles. Why all-female Shakespeare? Why not. Not every woman is an ingénue, lovesick dreamer, or damsel in distress — some are skeptics, warriors, cynics, and clowns. So, what would it mean if women—long barred from Shakespeare’s stages— stood on it entirely? What would we discover about our love, power, rage, humor, and community?  And what could we offer with our complexity, empathy, and undeniable fire? In this bold debut, women portray both sides of the story: the lovesick men and the women who won’t bend – keepers of their own self-worth.