While it’s not quite as long as that Mary Poppins’s 34-letter special, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, at 27 characters, honorificabilitudinitatibus comes close. It’s also a real Latin word, meaning “the state of being loaded with honours.” Perhaps it’s not surprising, then, that this word — apparently the longest Shakespeare uses in any of his plays — appears in Love’s Labour’s Lost, a play that Stacie Harrison, who directs The Shakespeare Company’s upcoming production of the work, admits is one of Shakespeare’s wordiest and most linguistically elevated.

“Love’s Labour’s Lost is one of his earlier plays, when he was very focused on words and language,” says Harrison. “The language in the play is quite high, the wit is quite high.”

She says this is likely one of the reasons that Love’s Labour’s Lost is staged infrequently compared to other Shakespearean romantic comedies. Furthermore, there isn’t a raft of cinematic, balletic or operatic adaptations of the play, though Kenneth Branagh did make a film in 2000.

Harrison also says the conclusion doesn’t wrap everything “in a neat little bow” — another possible reason for its less frequent stagings.

Harrison met The Shakespeare Company’s artistic producer, Iam Coulter, while they were both working as directors with Theatre Calgary’s Fuel program. They set out to find a show the company had yet to perform and that would fit the spring season. Love’s Labour’s Lost was perfect. “It’s funny, it’s light, it’s upbeat and it involves a lot of play — perfect for when people are looking to shed a few winter layers,” says Harrison.

As for the play’s reputation for high language, Harrison says audience members need not be intimidated. The cast and crew approached Love’s Labour’s Lost like they do any other Shakespearean work: They break down the language to get to the “brass tacks” of what characters are saying, and come at the dialogue like two people having a conversation.

“We talk about what we’re saying. What does this really mean? What does this mean to you, as a person? When the words are filled with a sense of understanding from the actor, the audience will understand it,” says Harrison.

The tale revolves around Ferdinand the King of Navarre’s decision to ban himself — and all the males within his court — from any contact with wine, women and song for three years, so they can devote themselves to the supposedly higher calling of study. Of course, as soon as he decides on this course, the Princess of France and her ladies-in-waiting arrive at his court. Because custom and courtesy demands, the King agrees to break his oath only to greet the princess and her entourage. Naturally, he and his three gentlemen-in-waiting are immediately infatuated and fall in love. However, they all try to hide their feelings in an effort to appear to keep their oaths . Soon, however, the truth emerges and they make a concerted effort to claim the women’s affections. The women, meanwhile, in true battle-of-the-sexes fashion, take turns denying and teasing the lovesick men.

“The four young men and women who find an intense attraction and love for each other, go through the game of love — the wooing, rejection and acceptance,” says Harrison.

The play is set in Navarre (between Spain and France) in the late 16th century, around the time when Shakespeare was writing and first performing it. And don’t expect any characters on roller skates or holding psychedelic peace signs in this production.

“We didn’t need a gimmick,” says Harrison, admitting she’s a bit of a purist when it comes to Shakespeare. “The theme of this play translates through the ages.”

“You better have a pretty great concept to modernize Shakespeare,” she adds.

The only thing that might classify as a gimmick in this production is the casting of Phebe, an eight-month-old collie-cross adopted from the Misty Creek Dog Rescue, as Cst. Dull. However, Coulter says Shakespeare was known to write parts specifically for dogs, so maybe it’s not so gimmicky after all.

Harrison says there are many relevant life lessons in Love’s Labour’s Lost, including “love is worth it,” and “living life and loving provides you with way more wisdom, and shapes you more as a human being, than the knowledge you can gain from reading a book.”

This show comes on the heels of some exciting news from The Shakespeare Company, including an expanded three-play season, and its future home at The Studio in the Vertigo Theatre Centre. Love’s Labour’s Lost will be the company’s final show at the Arrata Opera Centre.