Understudies Take Center Stage in 'Petty Men', a Shakespearean Reimagining that Feels Like an Afterthought.
The waiting game is a familiar one for the understudies of Julius Caesar. Night after night, they lurk in the shadows, biding their time as the main cast enjoys the spotlight. In this West End production, even the supporting characters – Brutus and Cassius – are reduced to mere "Understudy" labels, stripping them of any real agency or depth. The ailing pot plant and bucket by the door serve as a poignant reminder that these actors are nothing more than temporary placeholders until the originals fall ill.
But what if this understudy ensemble had their own chance to shine? That's precisely what Adam Goodbody and John Chisham hope to achieve in their production of Petty Men. The play, devised with director Júlia Levai, cleverly explores how the camaraderie between Brutus and Cassius gives way to bitter competition as they navigate the treacherous waters of Shakespeare's assassination plot.
Goodbody's Understudy Cassius is a study in contrasts – over-prepared and line-sharp, yet harboring a whiskey-soaked darkness that threatens to consume him. Chisham's Understudy Brutus, on the other hand, exudes a slouching air of desperation, as if he's constantly waiting for his big break. The two actors' chemistry is undeniable, but their performances feel more like caricatures than fully fleshed-out characters.
The production itself, however, is less impressive. Tomás Palmer's drab design gives way to phantasms and hideous dreams in Levai's inventive staging, but the overall effect feels more like a shallow rehashing of the original play rather than a bold reinterpretation. Petty Men feels like a narrow reading of Julius Caesar, circling around personal ambition rather than the deeply political themes that make Shakespeare's masterpiece so enduring.
Ultimately, Petty Men is a curious production – equal parts fascinating and frustrating. While it may not be the most polished or compelling adaptation of Julius Caesar, it does offer a unique glimpse into what might happen if understudies were given their own chance to shine. Will they seize the spotlight? Only time will tell.
The waiting game is a familiar one for the understudies of Julius Caesar. Night after night, they lurk in the shadows, biding their time as the main cast enjoys the spotlight. In this West End production, even the supporting characters – Brutus and Cassius – are reduced to mere "Understudy" labels, stripping them of any real agency or depth. The ailing pot plant and bucket by the door serve as a poignant reminder that these actors are nothing more than temporary placeholders until the originals fall ill.
But what if this understudy ensemble had their own chance to shine? That's precisely what Adam Goodbody and John Chisham hope to achieve in their production of Petty Men. The play, devised with director Júlia Levai, cleverly explores how the camaraderie between Brutus and Cassius gives way to bitter competition as they navigate the treacherous waters of Shakespeare's assassination plot.
Goodbody's Understudy Cassius is a study in contrasts – over-prepared and line-sharp, yet harboring a whiskey-soaked darkness that threatens to consume him. Chisham's Understudy Brutus, on the other hand, exudes a slouching air of desperation, as if he's constantly waiting for his big break. The two actors' chemistry is undeniable, but their performances feel more like caricatures than fully fleshed-out characters.
The production itself, however, is less impressive. Tomás Palmer's drab design gives way to phantasms and hideous dreams in Levai's inventive staging, but the overall effect feels more like a shallow rehashing of the original play rather than a bold reinterpretation. Petty Men feels like a narrow reading of Julius Caesar, circling around personal ambition rather than the deeply political themes that make Shakespeare's masterpiece so enduring.
Ultimately, Petty Men is a curious production – equal parts fascinating and frustrating. While it may not be the most polished or compelling adaptation of Julius Caesar, it does offer a unique glimpse into what might happen if understudies were given their own chance to shine. Will they seize the spotlight? Only time will tell.
The actor playing Cassius has so much depth to him, and his chemistry with Brutus is palpable - I ship them both, tbh 
But, yeah, the design is pretty meh and it feels like it's trying too hard to be edgy. I mean, who thought a bucket by the door was a good idea? 
Still, I do appreciate that they're giving the undersudies a chance to shine - maybe this production will inspire some new perspectives on Shakespeare's plays 
! Their energy was infectious and I'm still buzzing from it 
. I mean, have you ever noticed how some movies can transport you to another world and then suddenly you're thinking about your grocery list? Like, what's up with that? Anyway, Petty Men just doesn't seem like my cup of tea but I do love an underdog story 
. Speaking of which, have you tried that new vegan cafe downtown? Their matcha lattes are to die for 
️!
. It's like, what if we took some risks and made the understudies shine?
The actors are relegated to being just "understudy" labels and it's like they're just there for the sake of being there. I get what Adam Goodbody and John Chisham are trying to do with Petty Men, but it feels so half-baked. The supporting characters are reduced to caricatures and not even given any real agency or depth. And don't even get me started on the set design – it's like they just phoned it in 
. I mean, if you're gonna do a Shakespearean reimagining, can't you at least try to bring some new ideas to the table? Petty Men feels like an afterthought and not even that interesting one 
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. The actors are pretty good, especially Adam Goodbody as Cassius - his whiskey-soaked darkness is so intriguing! 
But I think Tomás Palmer's design is kinda lame, and Levai's staging just feels like a shallow rehashing of Julius Caesar 
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. But overall, I feel like this production is more of a curiosity than a fully fleshed-out adaptation 
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- Petty Men seems like an interesting twist on Julius Caesar! The idea of giving under studies a chance to shine is genius 
and I love how it explores their camaraderie and competition with Brutus and Cassius. Adam Goodbody and John Chisham's performances feel like they have potential, even if the chemistry between them could be stronger 
And don't even get me started on the staging - it was all pretty flashy and distracting 
. I mean, what if they'd focused more on the actual plot of Julius Caesar instead of just playing around with it? It's like they were trying to make a point but didn't quite nail it 
Still, I do appreciate the effort to give the understudies some screen time - maybe next time they'll really shine 
. I mean, I love Shakespeare and all, but this production feels like an afterthought 
. The concept of focusing on the understudies is cool, but it just doesn't feel fully fleshed out 
. And don't even get me started on the staging 
. It's all so...dark and edgy 
. I mean, can't we get a little bit of balance between atmosphere and substance? 
. What if they'd explored more of the themes behind Julius Caesar? That's where the real magic happens 
. It looks like someone barfed up all their creative energy onto the stage. I was really hoping for something more, you know? Something that would make me feel like I'm witnessing something new and exciting instead of just another tired retread of an old story. The chemistry between Goodbody and Chisham is cool, I guess, but it's not enough to save this production from itself 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to see understudies bring their own spin to Shakespeare's iconic characters? The cast's chemistry is undeniable, and I love how Goodbody's Cassius is all about contrasts - like, one minute he's got this perfect line down pat, the next he's drowning in booze 
. And Chisham's Brutus... man, that desperation just draws you in. But yeah, some of the staging feels a bit meh, and I wish they'd dug deeper into the politics of Caesar - it's like, what's really going on beneath all those power struggles? 
. The performances from Goodbody and Chisham are great, don't get me wrong, but they do feel a bit one-dimensional, like you know exactly what their roles are from the start 
, but it does feel a bit like they're rehashing the original instead of adding something new to the table 
. Will it grab the spotlight? Only time will tell... and maybe we'll see a follow-up production that develops these characters more 
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. i mean, who wouldn't want to see an understudy take center stage? its a clever play on how ambition & friendship can go so wrong. the actors r great esp goodbody as cassius 
... it's like they took all the excitement and drama out of Julius Caesar and replaced it with, well, not much at all