‘Petty Men’ / ‘A Celebration of Buzz’ Gala Night

19 November 2025 - 20 December 2025

Petty. Adjective. Of little importance.

What if Julius Caesar wasn’t set in Rome, but in a dressing room – and Brutus and Cassius were understudies fighting to outshine the show relay?

Petty Men tears up Shakespeare’s classic and rebuilds it from the inside out. As ambition, ego and performance blur together, two actors try to hold onto who they really are.

The show is created by John Chisham, Júlia Levai, and Hertford alumnus Adam Goodbody, and is dedicated to Buzz Goodbody, the pioneering first female director at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

On Wednesday 26 November, the Arcola Theatre hosts a special Gala Night: ‘A Celebration of Buzz’, featuring a post-show panel with Hertford College’s own Professor Emma Smith, exploring Buzz’s radical legacy and her lasting impact on Shakespeare in performance. Your ticket gets you the show and entry to the exclusive panel event in the Arcola Bar.

Petty Men runs from 19 November to 20 December in Studio 2, Arcola Theatre. All performances are captioned.

Tickets and more information via the Arcola Theatre website.