Buzz Goodbody
Encyclopedia
Mary Ann "Buzz" Goodbody (1946 – 1975) was an English
theatre director.
She was educated at Roedean
and the University of Sussex
. A product of the political and cultural upheavals of the 1960s, Goodbody regarded herself as a radical and a revolutionary who was involved in the feminist movement. She was a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain
.
Very early in her theatrical career, she adapted and staged Dostoyevsky's Notes from the Underground
. This production won an award at the National Student Drama Festival and eventually transferred to the West End. As a result of her success, in 1973 she was offered a position with the Royal Shakespeare Company
, where she was signed up as an assistant to Trevor Nunn
for his season of Shakespeare's Roman plays. She became an associate director, in charge of the Company's The Other Place
studio theatre, in the following year. She thus became the first ever female director to work at the RSC.
Her productions in Stratford
(King John, Trevor Griffiths
' Occupations) were noted for their radical content. In 1974, Goodbody played an instrumental role in establishing The Other Place. It was put forth as an alternative to the traditional Royal Shakespeare Theatre
and became highly regarded for its challenging versions of canonical plays.
At The Other Place, Goodbody staged King Lear
(1974) and Hamlet
(1975). Of the latter, The Times theatre critic Irving Wardle
wrote: "an astounding revelation of the most excavated play in the world, ranking with Peter Brook
's A Midsummer Night's Dream as the key classical production of the decade".
Goodbody was also associated with the Women's Movement and was a founder member of the Women's Street Theatre Group.
Goodbody committed suicide in April 1975, aged 28. The National Student Drama Festival
named a directorial award in her honour. Pam Gems
created the character of "Fish" in Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi in memory of Goodbody.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
theatre director.
She was educated at Roedean
Roedean School
-Roedeanians in fiction:* Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward * Dawn Drummond-Clayton * Emily James...
and the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
. A product of the political and cultural upheavals of the 1960s, Goodbody regarded herself as a radical and a revolutionary who was involved in the feminist movement. She was a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
.
Very early in her theatrical career, she adapted and staged Dostoyevsky's Notes from the Underground
Notes from Underground
Notes from Underground is an 1864 short novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Notes is considered by many to be the first existentialist novel...
. This production won an award at the National Student Drama Festival and eventually transferred to the West End. As a result of her success, in 1973 she was offered a position with the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
, where she was signed up as an assistant to Trevor Nunn
Trevor Nunn
Sir Trevor Robert Nunn, CBE is an English theatre, film and television director. Nunn has been the Artistic Director for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and, currently, the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. He has directed musicals and dramas for the stage, as well as opera...
for his season of Shakespeare's Roman plays. She became an associate director, in charge of the Company's The Other Place
The Other Place
The Other Place may refer to:* The Other Place , a 1999 young adult novel* The Other Place, a collection of short stories by J. B...
studio theatre, in the following year. She thus became the first ever female director to work at the RSC.
Her productions in Stratford
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
(King John, Trevor Griffiths
Trevor Griffiths
Trevor Griffiths is an English dramatist.Raised as a Roman Catholic, he attended Saint Bede's College, before being accepted into Manchester University in 1952 to read English...
' Occupations) were noted for their radical content. In 1974, Goodbody played an instrumental role in establishing The Other Place. It was put forth as an alternative to the traditional Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre is a 1,040+ seat thrust stage theatre owned by the Royal Shakespeare Company dedicated to the British playwright and poet William Shakespeare. It is located in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon - Shakespeare's birthplace - in the English Midlands, beside the River Avon...
and became highly regarded for its challenging versions of canonical plays.
At The Other Place, Goodbody staged King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
(1974) and Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
(1975). Of the latter, The Times theatre critic Irving Wardle
Irving Wardle
John Irving Wardle is an English writer and theatre critic.He was born on 20 July 1929 in Manchester, Lancashire, the son of John Wardle and his wife Nellie . His father was drama critic on the Bolton Evening News, and a regular performer at the Bolton Little Theatre...
wrote: "an astounding revelation of the most excavated play in the world, ranking with Peter Brook
Peter Brook
Peter Stephen Paul Brook CH, CBE is an English theatre and film director and innovator, who has been based in France since the early 1970s.-Life:...
's A Midsummer Night's Dream as the key classical production of the decade".
Goodbody was also associated with the Women's Movement and was a founder member of the Women's Street Theatre Group.
Goodbody committed suicide in April 1975, aged 28. The National Student Drama Festival
National Student Drama Festival
The National Student Drama Festival was founded in 1956 by the Sunday Times arts columnist - the festival's first artistic director - Kenneth Pearson, the Sunday Times theatre critic Harold Hobson, and NUS president Frank Copplestone. The Sunday Times Editor, H.V...
named a directorial award in her honour. Pam Gems
Pam Gems
Pam Gems was a British playwright. The author of numerous original plays, as well as of adaptations of works by major European playwrights of the past, Gems is best known for the 1978 musical play Piaf.-Personal life:...
created the character of "Fish" in Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi in memory of Goodbody.
External links
- Colin Chambers' essay on Goodbody in Marxism Today, April 1980 (PDF)
- Introduction to Alycia Smith-Howard's book on The Other Place (PDF)
Sources
- Colin Chambers: Other Spaces: New Theatre and the RSC
- Alycia Smith-Howard: Studio Shakespeare: the Royal Shakespeare Company at The Other Place