--- title: "The Understudy | Assembly Festival" meta: "og:description": "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 ambition in a hauntingly dark comedy that turns on a dime. It's 'surreal and hilarious' **** (List) and 'unexpectedly moving, and sharply observed' ****½ (FIFTY+SA). Winner: Weekly Award for Best Theatre (Adelaide Fringe 2026). Written and performed by Eva Seymour. Directed by Olivia Charalambous." "og:title": "The Understudy" "twitter:description": "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 ambition in a hauntingly dark comedy that turns on a dime. It's 'surreal and hilarious' **** (List) and 'unexpectedly moving, and sharply observed' ****½ (FIFTY+SA). Winner: Weekly Award for Best Theatre (Adelaide Fringe 2026). Written and performed by Eva Seymour. Directed by Olivia Charalambous." "twitter:title": "The Understudy" description: "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 ambition in a hauntingly dark comedy that turns on a dime. It's 'surreal and hilarious' **** (List) and 'unexpectedly moving, and sharply observed' ****½ (FIFTY+SA). Winner: Weekly Award for Best Theatre (Adelaide Fringe 2026). Written and performed by Eva Seymour. Directed by Olivia Charalambous." --- # The Understudy [**← **Back to What's On](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on) [ ![The Understudy](https://assemblyfestival.com/_vercel/image?url=https:%2F%2Fassemblyfestival.pazaz.studio%2Fassets%2Fd580cb7f-1115-4642-b635-143d3277ec58?width=360%26height=360%26format=webp&w=1536&q=100) # 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 ambition in a hauntingly dark comedy that turns on a dime. It's 'surreal and hilarious' **** (List) and 'unexpectedly moving, and sharply observed' ****½ (FIFTY+SA). Winner: Weekly Award for Best Theatre (Adelaide Fringe 2026). Written and performed by Eva Seymour. Directed by Olivia Charalambous. Videography by Lachy Henry ## Show Trailer [![Video thumbnail](https://vumbnail.com/1180780602.jpg)](https://vimeo.com/1180780602?h=4161e917d6) ##### Show Trailer [ ## You may also like [](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/baby-brain) Theatre Dark Comedy New Writing #### **Baby Brain** 21-30 Aug 2026 16:40 **Assembly George Square Studios** [Book Now](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/baby-brain/performances) [ [](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/the-breakup-variety-hour) Music Comedy Cabaret #### **The Breakup Variety Hour** 05-31 Aug 2026 17:20 **Assembly George Square Studios** [Book Now](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/the-breakup-variety-hour/performances) [ [](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/anatomy-of-survival) Dance Physical Theatre and Circus Dance Theatre #### **Anatomy of Survival** 25-29 Aug 2026 19:45 **Assembly @ Dance Base** [Book Now](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/anatomy-of-survival/performances) [ [](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/primal-scream) Theatre Drama Music #### **Primal Scream** 06-30 Aug 2026 15:25 **Assembly Rooms** [Book Now](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/primal-scream/performances) [ ### **Follow Us** ### **Sign up to our newsletter** ## **THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS, SPONSORS AND PARTNERS** [![The City of Edinburgh Council](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/d379ddbf-66cc-4bb3-909e-c524a9e673ac?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit The City of Edinburgh Council website](https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/) [![The Church of Scotland](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/49185c32-3f2d-4eda-ae62-d01a3e04c659?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit The Church of Scotland website](https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/) [![Essential Edinburgh](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/bbd576d2-3705-41b9-94af-7dfe6f96b6b2?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit Essential Edinburgh website](https://www.essentialedinburgh.co.uk/) [![The University of Edinburgh](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/56257592-6b16-4180-9c7c-562de7a6cc0e?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit The University of Edinburgh website](https://www.ed.ac.uk/) [![Inchs](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/fb42cf05-8f22-4aea-8e08-24e008e57457?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit Inchs website](https://www.inchscider.co.uk/) [![encore](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/d961c754-dd20-40c1-b476-5369a4076745?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit encore website](https://www.encore-emea.com/) [![Deltalive](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/1ca2a489-690b-4b55-b16a-cd6d2e539d7c?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit Deltalive website](https://deltalive.net/) [![Robe](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/b21f6feb-a965-4482-b78a-4466a153d45b?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit Robe website](https://www.robe.cz/) [![Matthew Clark](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/1a437a3c-6fa6-4078-a071-17d0e0b860d0?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit Matthew Clark website](https://www.matthewclark.co.uk/) [![The List](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/86335248-6c14-4676-bcb8-291543a4c604?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit The List website](https://list.co.uk/) [![Capital Radio](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/71f29d18-debc-4592-8ae7-0aa4f5163117?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit Capital Radio website](https://www.capitalfm.com/) ![Forth 1](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/dc387b7e-8339-4d99-b9be-b1a256439563?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png) [![Deputy](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/7e02ca85-c474-41c6-bd00-beb95ab98ece?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit Deputy website](https://www.deputy.com/gb) [![Lothian](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/c55784eb-57f5-464e-8f82-ad0e480d3b30?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit Lothian website](https://www.lothianbuses.com/) [![Edinburgh International Film Festival](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/bf554013-50b4-4eb8-91df-aeaa7ef890ac?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit Edinburgh International Film Festival website](https://www.edfilmfest.org/) [![Street Assist Edinburgh](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/d64fb877-77c5-4c98-bd42-15db5069750c?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit Street Assist Edinburgh website](https://www.streetassist.co.uk/) [![Aubin](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/6d6f2f34-9950-4446-a250-30961edc5105?width=400&height=200&fit=inside&format=png)Visit Aubin website](https://aubinandwills.com/)