La Lezione di Teatro / The Acting Class, The Courtyard Theatre
For Camden Fringe 2025 we are attempting to reach 100 interviews to highlight as many of the shows performing as we possibly can. Every day we will publish new interviews, so do keep coming back to see how close to our target we can get. You can find all our Camden Fringe interviews here.
We spoke to husband and wife Goffredo Puccetti and Francesca Bizzarri about their new show, La Lezione di Teatro / The Acting Class, and ponder whether language barriers exist on stage, and just how many props can be made from cardboard boxes. Don’t miss La Lezione di Teatro / The Acting Class at The Courtyard Theatre on 17 and 18 August. Find out more and book here.
What can audiences expect from your show?
It is a classical comedy of misunderstandings. It has been conceived in an American campus in the Middle East by two Italians convinced that the language of theatre is universal.
We do not want to reveal too much: let’s just say that more than one language is spoken on stage but subtitles are absolutely NOT necessary.
And, yes, I said classical comedy but again, without spoiling too much, in one scene we move from Pirandello to disco music, so be prepared for the unexpected!
Is this your first time performing the show at Camden Fringe?
It has been performed in the UAE, North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro through 2024 and 2025. It has been very well received everywhere and got two awards at the Junction Dubai Awards 2024. We have lived three years in the UK and well, London is London, so we applied!
What was your inspiration for the show?
The show was at first meant to be a real acting class to be delivered to college students. While my wife was preparing for it, I kept interrupting her with jokes and little by little we realized that we could turn it into a short play. The title is a testament to the fact that we put all our creativity in the script and there was none left for the title.
How long have you been working on the show?
We wrote in one month but we kept on refining constantly for one year.
Is this version how you originally envisioned the show?
Situation and time specific jokes forced us to update it. No drastic change, but it definitely matured and it is now exactly as we envisioned it.
What was it that drew you to this show and role?
I was asked to prepare a real acting class and my husband took my notes and made some jokes. Without even realising it, we were writing our first show together. (FB)
I teach design but I have been fortunate enough to see first hand so many talented writers at work through the years when I followed my wife’s career. This is my first stunt at writing for theatre and I have loved every bit of it. (GP)
What is it about your character that you most enjoy?
Well I am playing an actress who is clearly not so young anymore on stage… so I am reluctant to admit that I enjoy all of it because the character I am playing is, well… me! (FB)
How challenging has this role been for you?
In the very short time of the play, my character is eager to showcase many facets of Italian Theatre to the pupil, so it is quite the ‘tour de force’ in terms of acting (FB)
What brought you all together?
Me and Fra have been together since 1989 (yep, we are that old!). The play has been conceived in a college campus so for the second actor and the technician we automatically turned to the student body of New York University Abu Dhabi. Then last year we cast the amazing Claudio. (GP)
Being a fringe festival, we all know sets have to be bare minimum, how have you got around this with your set and props?
We have not yet!!! But we’ll figure it out by August. BTW: do you happen to have one mannequin, two big chairs, one bench and one console? Jokes aside, we’ll figure it out and cardboard boxes will do in case; that’s the magic of theatre.
What has been the biggest challenge in realising the writers’ vision for the show?
We have not divorced yet. We are extremely proud of this!
How important is audience interaction to you?
We believe that theatre after all exists because there are things that makes sense only when you hear them on stage. It’s a short play about the universal language of theatre, about overcoming language barriers and yes there are several moments when the audience laugh and gasp and by all means, let it be so! The ‘freeze’ joke (no spoiler) is where usually the actors have to stop because of the laughter and applause.
Are there any plans for what comes next after the Fringe?
We are busy with many other projects but this Acting Class has been super fun and immensely rewarding so far. So, who knows?
Who would play you in the Hollywood adaptation of your future autobiography?
We plan to live long lives so I would hope that the actors who are eventually going to play us are very very young now or not born yet. (FB)
If I catch something bad tomorrow Brad Pitt would do, thanks. (GP)
If you had to describe your show as a colour, what would it be and why?
Orange because it is bright and has many hues.
If you had to describe your show as a meal, what would it be?
An Italian wedding meal. Maybe too much but oh so good!
If you show had a soundtrack, what songs would be on it?
It does have a soundtrack. If I was rich I would have the Bee Gees singing Staying Alive in it… I cannot tell you why without spoiling it…
If you could perform this show anywhere in the world, where would it be?
London for a month but with accommodation paid! Then New York perhaps. It has been conceived at NYU after all, albeit in its Abu Dhabi campus.
What is the weirdest or most unconventional prop used in your show?
I am sorry but I spent a month transforming shoe boxes into lamps that spell words… Sorry, you have to see them.
If budget or reality was not an issue what is the one thing you would love to have in your show?
Two Barcelona chairs by Mies Van Der Rohe.
What words of advice would you give anyone thinking about doing Camden Fringe next year?
Everyone one should have a brother who lives in London! We will crash his place and our main actor is (God bless him!) actually from London. Honestly, I don’t think we would have been able to participate if it weren’t for this.
Thanks to Goffredo Puccetti and Francesca Bizzarri for chatting about their show, if it’s piqued your interest, make sure you catch La Lezione di Teatro / The Acting Class at The Courtyard Theatre on Sunday 17 and Monday 18 August.
