Eva Seymour as The Understudy 

(Interview followed by review)

“It really poured out of me, the number of anxieties, self-flagellation, and confusion, and all the weirdness that comes up when you consider your place in the performance industry.”

In conversation with actor, voice-over artist, writer + disability worker, Eva Seymour, we let the cat out of the bag about the shadows of the acting industry + what it means to be a commercially working actor who now has the creative agency to make her own show + share her truth.

“Funnily enough, I turned down a 6-month contract as an understudy for a major touring play to do Adelaide Fringe for my own show”

The Understudy debuted at Melbourne Fringe in October 2025, Eva’s first ever fringe season. With a sell-out run she’s excited + hopeful to bring her show to Adelaide Fringe + Melbourne International Comedy Fest later this year. This show is semi-autobiographical + aims to capture the emotional turmoil of being half-chosen to perform + to out the mental gymnastics artists often do to justify their mistreatment on these jobs. Eva was offered a well-paying role as an understudy which she turned down to perform this show - I think this says a lot about her need to choose herself + amplify her own experience over following other people’s direction right now in her creative process. It felt empowering to hear her talk about this.

“So much of the self-production takes away from the actual creative immersion.”

Eva shared that her creative process has flowed beautifully - the show wrote itself very quickly + she has worked with a trusted director, Olivia Charalambous to bring the piece into full fruition. That being said, The Understudy is self-produced, which I can safely say is a tedious + surprisingly counter-intuitive conundrum to be in. It is a juggling act of the left + right side of the brain, business strategy vs. creative flow which can create frustration + a chaotic workload. This is a very common affair for fringe artists - especially in their first few seasons. It feels like you’re having to learn how to be an entrepreneur at the same time as carrying a whole show in your mind + body, while everyone who’s not an artist often has no idea what you’re talking about or why it all takes so much time! But it sounds like it has definitely paid off so far for Eva + her show.

“Working in the disability space has been one of the best side hustles I’ve ever had”

Eva, like many other artists, balances a few other jobs alongside her creative process. She mentioned that she had tried lots of other side hustle jobs in the past but that working in the disability sector has been really life-giving and meaningful for her. She also works as a voice-over artist via an agency + has scored some big gigs in the commercial world which has given her enough financial security + therefore time, to build her show sustainably.

“I made this show because I felt like I wasn’t getting a look in… giving voice to that feeling every night is incredible catharsis”

Being an artist right now feels deeply challenging but also deeply rewarding, says Eva. She shares that making this show has really invigorated her love for what she does + her why for being in this industry.

My Review

The Understudy is a fiery burst of cooped-up rage that speaks to the underdog within all of us. Landing somewhere in the middle of Fleabag, Cruella and Black Swan, Eva takes us on a dark comedy rollercoaster that reveals the impact of devotion to an industry that persistently shows her that it doesn’t care.

We walk into a black box room, with a cabaret set up, black chairs, black tables, black TV, black camera + Eva steps onto stage in all blacks - everything blends into the same stark colour of darkness. We have been invited into the backstage of her dreams and it’s looking liminal + elusive. The structure of this show is genius; an understudy has to learn + hold whole scripts of a show in their mind + body for months, ready to step in to perform any role, at any moment - the dramaturgy puts her unique + phenomenal skills to use as Eva plays herself in many contexts + perfectly embodies a vast range of characters who interact with her. It’s a wordy show + a huge undertaking for her memory that she performs with effortlessness. It was so satisfying and empowering to be on the receiving end of the skills that she has rarely got genuine praise for or the opportunity to utilise in her understudy roles.

While the character we are seeing onstage is apologetic + passive, there is a femme fatale actor behind it all who knows her worth + is seeking revenge. Transitions are slick + seamless - not a single line was forgotten or a word out of place. Eva’s physicality + voices from character to character are consistent + hauntingly accurate + alive. The pace of this work is quick + fleeting like we are being thwarted through a series of flashbacks whilst being hurtling downwards towards rock bottom. What I love about this show is it’s not just about the theatre industry - it’s about living without reciprocity - you don’t have to be an actor or a starving artist to relate. Because so much of the show focuses on her emotional landscape + the absurd cycle of crap things happening one thing after the other - we can all find understanding + empathy, which I imagine is a profoundly healing exchange for Eva too.

Some highlights for me were the toxic positive ‘trust in the universe’ punch downs from the characters who were getting the jobs that she wanted. Seeing Eva’s day-to-day life, recording self-tapes that were awkward + repetitive. And then watching her reading for audiobooks that were horrifyingly relevant to her current situations were hilarious + deeply relatable. Another thing I really respect about Eva’s making of this show is how much it educates the public on the unglamorous reality of being a professional performer - I think this is so important to start conversations about, as there is so much delusion among non-artists about who we are + what we do everyday to be onstage.

The Understudy gets right into the guts of being unheard + undervalued + by proxy creates a space where Eva is truly cherished + celebrated. This show absolutely deserves to sell out - I urge you all to get out to the Warehouse Theatre + cheer for this talented woman!