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Go see “Love’s Labour’s Lost” at the Rexville Blackrock Amphitheatre and appreciate the joy and enthusiasm of community actors again performing live and outside after the two year shutdown imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The play opens at mob boss Ferdinand’s speakeasy, Navarre, in this production set in 1929 during prohibition. Shakespeare placed it in the kingdom of Navarre among royalty. But the play’s the thing and while 425 year old language is hard to follow, remember comedy is for laughs, not to make sense. Make the effort to follow it and you will laugh a lot.

In real life, three young men would not swear off wooing and love for three years of study and self improvement. That is the premise opening the play. The Boss (Matthew Small) thinks it will strengthen Berowne (Derick Dong) and Dumain’s (Ziona Pettigrew) character. They relunctantly agree. Then a new decrees: women must stay a mile away. Who is he fooling?

Sit close to the stage and listen carefully for the delightful word play all night long. Letters will be written to the banned females. That is a great prop. They are held aloft as they are read from, symbols of the importance of language.

Pay attention to the deception and confusion between the princes, er mobsters, and the ladies. Some characters, the Princess (Jessica Hamilton), Rosaline (Jaime Mastrononica) – the flapper girls – are more knowing and perceptive than others. The women outwit the men, of course. Listen to their plans and watch for their antics.

When told a love letter is too long by half a mile, the Princess replies, “We are wise girls to mock our lovers so.”

Rosaline adds, “They are worse fools to purchase mocking so.”

A delicious late scene has the men, still swearing abstinence while pursuing kisses, disguising themselves as Russians to visit the princesses. The women were warned beforehand and prepare to trick the men by trading “favors” among themselves, gifts their suitors had sent with earlier love letters.

Mobsters and flappers are all masked. The men’s are large paper mustaches on sticks. They are wearing cossack hats and employ Russian accents. It is a fun scene. The men are worst off after it. And great costuming

The last scene has the mobsters and flappers gathered at the bar. In marches the rest of the cast to perform a play, as in “Hamlet.” They are led by Carolyn Travis’ Costard, a clown. Truxton McCoy as Don Armando, a Spanish adventurer, has provided over the top moments. So has Trey Hatch, the schoolmaster.

They are playing Worthies, great historical figures.

Costumers Molly Sylva and Jessie Spangler dress them in whimsical costuming – think a junior high drama production – to match their comedic performances. Follow the mocking and word sparring between the royals and the Worthies an ensemble moment.

But Shakespeare has the last word, with a unique plot twist for his comedies, a messenger bringing news that the Princess’ father died. That kills the humor, too.

Near the close Berowne says “Our wooing doth not end like an old play: Jack has not Jill.”

Director Devin Breuer and assistant director Josiah Miller ably prepped the large cast. They were uniformly strong, everyone’s enthusiasm shining through. They exuded an ensemble performance. Whether the parts were larger or smaller, the actors offered a nuanced, light-hearted touch.

This is a creative production on a shoestring budget. The women’s costuming was more successfully 1920s flapper girls, while the men’s attire stretched to even a 1950s look.

The troupe kept to a spare, simple set though they have a large new stage constructed for them by North Puget Sound Carpenters Local 70. While the actors made full use of the stage, they often played on the grass, at the audience’s feet.

Their entrances and exits up the central aisle were eager, as if the cast could hardly wait to get to the next scene. They are obviously glad to be performing. Go support them.

“Love’s Labour’s Lost” is playing in repertoire with”Henry V” Thursdays-Sundays through Aug. 12. July 30 is the Ironman production of these plays and “Bardic Mouse Tales” a collection of fairy tales with a Shakespearean twist written and directed by Travis.

For times and prices go to: shakesnw.org.