The Understudy ⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Exploring the anxiety-fuelled existence of an Australian swing, this one-woman catastrophe follows an understudy who's put everything on hold for her moment in the spotlight. She'll do anything for the stage... no matter the cost. Subversive, silly and unflinchingly honest, The Understudy traverses jealousy, self-righteousness and the price of desire in a profoundly dark comedy that turns on a dime."

The direction by Olivia Charalambous is mostly good. There is a clear sense of what the production wants to achieve, and when the staging clicks, it works well. However, there are moments where the direction seems to contradict itself, making certain transitions and choices less clear than they could be. More consistency in the staging would help the piece feel more consistent.

The lighting design is very simple, too simple at times. There isn't always enough definition between the different lighting states to clearly distinguish the various locations, meaning the audience is often entirely reliant on the script to understand where we are. A little more visual variation could have helped establish the different environments but without taking anything away from the intimate nature of the production.

The camera work is an interesting idea, but unfortunately I wasn't entirely sure what I was supposed to take from it. Whether the footage was deliberately delayed, live or pre-recorded, it didn't ultimately add anything to the story for me. It felt slightly like a theatrical feature that was there because it could be there, rather than because the story really needed it. With such a strong central concept, I would have liked the camera to contribute more to the character's emotional journey.

The book by Eva Seymour is interesting and certainly has plenty of lovely moments. There are some perceptive observations and some genuinely funny sections, particularly when the show embraces the ridiculousness and anxiety of life as an understudy. The premise itself is a rich one because there is so much material to explore around ambition, insecurity, jealousy and the desperate need to feel useful. However, the writing sometimes feels as though it is trying to fit too many ideas into one hour. Some sections feel as though they are there primarily to fill the running time, while other moments that could have benefited from more space are rushed through.

The sections directly to camera were particularly difficult for me to connect with. They felt like they should have been revealing something important about the character, but instead often interrupted the momentum and didn't add enough emotional or narrative weight. There is also an odd imbalance in the pacing. Some scenes are given room to breathe when I didn't necessarily feel they needed it, while others move on just as they begin to become interesting. It leaves the show feeling like it has several strong ideas that haven't always been given enough time to fully develop.

Seymour's performance is good. There is clearly a lot of commitment in taking on a one-woman show, particularly one in which she portrays a large number of characters surrounding the central understudy. Seymour has plenty of energy and is clearly comfortable carrying the stage alone. She tells us this character's story with confidence, and there are moments where the vulnerability really begins to show through.

Unfortunately, I felt the performance was often moving at such a pace that the emotion struggled to land. There are moments where you can see Seymour trying to build towards an emotional beat, but before it has had the opportunity to settle properly, the production has already moved on to the next thing. That is especially frustrating because there is a genuinely compelling character underneath all of the chaos. The idea of someone putting their entire life on hold for the possibility of finally getting their moment is incredibly relatable, even if you've never stepped foot on a stage. We all know what it feels like to wait for our moment. The show just needed to let us sit with that feeling for a little longer.

Overall, The Understudy has a fascinating premise and some genuinely strong ingredients. There are laughs, thoughtful observations about ambition and insecurity, and a central character with plenty of potential. For me, though, the production sometimes tries to do too much at once. The staging can be unclear, the lighting could distinguish the different locations more effectively, and the camera work doesn't quite justify its place within the storytelling. There is definitely something here, and the premise has plenty of potential. I just wanted the production to trust its strongest ideas a little more and give them more room to breathe.

The Understudy is playing at Assembly George Square Gardens, The Box, at 12:15 pm, with performances throughout August. You can book your tickets via: https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/the-understudy