Jonathan Kobritz, left, Patrick Roberts, Brad Kula and Luke Young generate lots of laughs in the comedy "Love's Labour's Lost" The play, by William Shakespeare but set in modern day in this production by the Arizona Repertory Theatre, runs through Nov. 2 at the Tornabene Theatre on the UA campus.

Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star

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Bad puns. Bad jokes. Bad behavior.

With all those bads, it's hard not to love Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost."

Arizona Repertory Theatre's production of the word-happy, often slapsticky romantic comedy revels in all that's gloriously bad about this play. And all that's good, too.

Director Brent Gibbs was at times too desperate for laughs. His actors wrestled with words and phrases until they become double entendres, and sophomoric humor became even more sophomoric under his direction. But then, Shakespeare worked pretty hard at infusing the work with humor in this rarely performed comedy.

Gibbs smartly set the story in contemporary times, on the grounds of a boys school. All the young men look as though they just stepped out of "The Dead Poet's Society." The present-day setting made the humor much more accessible than it might otherwise have been.

The story whips around four young men who take a vow — no women. Which is a silly vow since the Princess of France and her ladies will be arriving any moment.

When they do, all vows are thrown out the window and love swoops in.

Much of this play is ribald humor, and it is rich with clowns who keep the laughs rolling. Javan Nelson's turn as Costard, one of those clowns, was a beautifully rendered portrait of a young man brimming with innocence and heart. And he was quite funny, too.

Jonathan Kobritz's honest turn as Berowne, the young man who knows how hopeless the no-gals vow is, and the one who usually keeps a level head when those around him can't, showed an affinity for Shakespeare's language and for slipping on the shoes of his character.

Nikko Kimzin as the fiery Spaniard, Armado, was outrageously flamboyant in his passions and angers and self-adoration. And that is as it should be.

The talented Charlotte Bernhardt as the princess was the leader of the women, played with wit and sass by Tamika Lawrence (Rosaline), Chelsea Bowdren (Maria), and Katlin McGrath (Katherine).

But, as with most Shakespeares, this is a play that belongs to the men. They got the laughs, the best lines, the most compelling characters.

From the schoolmaster Holofernes (an arrogant, and perfectly goofy, Kevin Black) to the bell-ringing, bike-riding cop (Jonathan McClune, who chimed in with perfect timing), they didn't let a line go by without milking it for humor or infusing it with passion.

But not much insight. While "Love's Labours Lost" is thick with clever wordplay, literary references, poetry and puns, it fails to peel back the layers of the human psyche in that poetic way that that Shakespeare does so well.

But sometimes, you know, you just need to laugh. And that you'll do.