Buzz Studios, named in honour of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s first female director, Buzz Goodbody, will have its first play, Petty Men, at Arcola Theatre in Hackney from tonight.
The production is a reimagination of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar by creators Adam Goodbody, John Chisham, and Júlia Levai.
Previews start from today, November, 19 and will run until December 20.
Buzz Goodbody (1946-1975), who was born in Marylebone and grew up in St John’s Wood and Hampstead, was known for her passionate campaigning for affordable theatre and accessibility in the arts.
She became the RSC’s first female director at 24 and was instrumental in setting up The Other Place, its first studio theatre.
She took her own life aged 28 in 1975, having just directed Hamlet at Stratford-on-Avon with actor Ben Kingsley.
Her brother, John Goodbody, said: “She was a person who blazed the trail for female directors both at the RSC and to a certain extent internationally.”
Adam Goodbody, one of the creators of Petty Men, said: “Buzz Studios is about keeping my aunt’s legacy alive — her belief that theatre should challenge, provoke, and belong to everyone.
“Petty Men feels like the perfect first step in celebrating her radical spirit and bringing her ideals to a new generation.”
The play, which is a radical take on Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, explores the themes of ambition and friendship through the eyes of two understudies in a dressing room.
It questions how far people would go to achieve their ambitions, while also reflecting on the themes of Shakespeare’s text to resonate with the modern audience.
Adam Goodbody and John Chisham play the roles of actors understudying Cassius and Brutus respectively.
The show is directed by Júlia Levai.
A special gala evening, ‘A Celebration of Buzz’, will follow the performance on November 26 with a post-show panel event.
The panel will be hosted by Professor Emma Smith from Hertford College, Oxford University, and will explore the life and impact of Buzz Goodbody.
Panellists will include the Royal Shakespeare Company’s co-artistic director, Tamara Harvey, and its former artistic director, Trevor Nunn, with whom Buzz worked.
Tickets for all performances are priced between £15 and £37, with all performances being captioned.
For further information and to book tickets, visit the Arcola Theatre’s website at https://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/pettymen/.
