PETTY MEN, Reimagining of JULIUS CAESAR, to Open at Arcola Theatre

Buzz Studios will present its inaugural production, Petty Men created by Goodbody, John Chisham and Júlia Levai. A new play after Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the production opens at Arcola Theatre’s Studio 2 on 24 November, with previews from 19 November, and runs until 20 December. Levai directs Goodbody and Chisham in the two-hander, in the roles of Understudy Cassius and Understudy Brutus respectively.
 
The production company is named in honour of Buzz Goodbody, Royal Shakespeare Company’s first female director who was integral in establishing The Other Place, and a passionate campaigner for affordable theatre and accessibility in the arts. This year marks the 50th anniversary of her passing, and Buzz Studios has been created to continue her legacy of fearless, socially engaged theatre.
 
On 26 November, a special Gala Evening, A Celebration of Buzz, will follow the performance, featuring a post-show panel event hosted by Professor Emma Smith (Shakespearean Studies at Hertford College, Oxford) exploring the life and impact of Buzz Goodbody. Panellists will include Tamara Harvey (Co-Artistic Director, RSC) and Trevor Nunn (Artistic Director, RSC – 1968-1986).
 
“Petty. Adjective. Of little importance.” Petty Men is a radical reworking of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Set in a dressing room, two understudies attempt to out-perform the show relay. But their unfolding production brings their friendship to a crisis point. As worlds collide and reality warps, can they hold on to themselves?
 
How far would you go to achieve your ambitions? A thrilling and ambitious take on Julius Caesar that actively engages and wrestles with the themes of Shakespeare’s text to resonate with our now. PETTY MEN is integrating creative captioning at the heart of its production - every performance will be captioned.