The Understudy: A Wonderful Reminder of the Power of Theatre during these difficult times

I'll be honest, I've never had much experience with radio plays. My first love has always been, and will always be, live theatre. However, in this strange pandemic-filled world that we currently find ourselves in, live theatre simply isn't possible and so new and interesting artistic ventures have started to emerge. The Understudy is one such project. With the entire play being recorded by actors from home, and edited together by a wonderful sound team, The Understudy aims to bring the joy of performing arts back into our isolated lives.

The Understudy tells the story of Stephen McQueen, an actor understudying famous film star Josh Harper in a new play in the West End. The play follows Stephen has he grapples with his acting achievements and how he's waiting for his one big break. It is described as " the story of an underdog - a failed husband, a failing father, a failing actor and the impossible choice he's going to have to make between stealing the show and stealing another man's wife". I think this explains The Understudy perfectly.

As the audience, you do find yourself very warmed to Stephen, despite the many mistakes he continues to make. You find yourself willing him to have success for once, which definitely keeps you hooked throughout the piece. The writing (by Henry Filloux-Bennett) was humourous but still very truthful and honest. The characters felt complex and relatable throughout - especially Stephen, who I think represents anyone who's felt like their best still isn't enough sometimes.

What was so lovely about this radio play was how much it made me miss the world of theatre. The mere talk of rehearsal rooms and backstage was enough to have me longing for the theatre to return. This show cleverly remains it's own piece of art - it obviously isn't theatre, and yet, because it concerns itself entirely with the world of theatre, it encapsulates the feeling of theatre and performing perfectly.

Not only is the piece charmingly written, it features a wonderful cast of brilliant actors. Stephen Fry narrates the show in the atmospheric and poignant way that only Stephen Fry can. His voice feels warm and comforting as he guides you through this adventure. The entire star-studded cast did an excellent job of communicating all of their underlying objectives and intentions without the support of any visual performance. I was surprised by how well I was able to pick up on all of the small nuances the cast were adding to their lines. It clearly shows how well cast this play was.

I really liked the idea of adding animation to the radio play. For people such as myself who tend to not listen to radio plays, it helps to have a visual which can keep you focused throughout the story. Having this optional addition to the piece is a unique and interesting way of appealing to a wider audience which is wonderful.

One of the best parts of this piece is that, of course, it is also raising money for Acting for Others, the Equity Charitable Trust and Equity's Benevolent Fund and The Theatre Development Trust. During uncertain times like this, it's so important to keep the arts alive and therefore anything which aims to benefit this incredible industry should be celebrated, and therefore The Understudy is certainly worthy of celebration.

The only thing I wasn't massively keen on was how long it took me to feel fully invested into the play. At the start I felt a little overwhelmed by the amount of different voices and it took some time to work out who each character was, as well as their relations to each other. However after a little while everything started to click together and make a lot more sense. Maybe this was due to my lack of experience with radio plays rather than a narrative issue.

To conclude, The Understudy is an entertaining was of reconnecting with a world that it is difficult to access right now. It's a stark reminder to all of us in this industry of why we do what we do, and that one day it will return. And if you'd like to support the wonderful world of theatre whilst also treating yourself to two nights of entertainment, then I'd highly suggest buying a ticket.

Part One of The Understudy will be released on Wednesday 20th May 2020.

Part Two will be released on Wednesday 27th May 2020.

Tickets can be purchased at www.understudyplay.com

5 Star Rating: **** 4 Stars

To See or Not To See? To see! Well - to listen!