Review by Markus Hamence – Performance date: Friday 01 August 2025, Little Theatre, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia
Jane Austen Meets Postmodern Sass
If Jane Austen were resurrected, handed a laptop, and shoved into a 21st-century script workshop, she might’ve ended up writing something uncannily close to The Watsons. Luckily, playwright Laura Wade beat her to it – and the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild’s take on this clever, Austen-esque kaleidoscope is witty, spirited, and refreshingly original.
Playing now at the charmingly snug Little Theatre nestled in The Cloisters, The Watsons is a thoughtful romp through time, genre, and identity. Directed with verve by Matthew Chapman with Rohan Ellis as Assistant Director, it offers Adelaide theatre-goers a smartly subversive spin on a literary mystery: what happened to Emma Watson after Jane Austen gave up on her?
Austen Rebooted – with a Twist You Didn’t See Coming
For the uninitiated, The Watsons begins as pure Austen: young Emma Watson returns home to her modest family after being cast out by a wealthy aunt. With sisters on the hunt for husbands and local clergymen prowling for pliable wives, it all seems deliciously in line with the Regency playbook. Cue corsets, carriage rides, and endless social climbing.
But here’s where things get spicy – Laura Wade breaks the fourth wall wide open. Midway through, a modern-day ‘author’ (a character within the play) storms onstage, wrestling for control over her unruly characters and their outdated expectations. Austen’s quaint world collides with contemporary commentary, and suddenly we’re no longer just watching a period drama – we’re watching the very act of storytelling unravel.
This meta-theatrical shift could’ve been clunky in lesser hands. But Chapman’s direction keeps the pace sharp and the transitions seamless. One moment, you’re swooning over a Regency flirtation; the next, you’re laughing as a modern playwright negotiates with her own creations like an HR manager gone rogue. Brilliant.
Performances that Pop (and Crackle with Wit)
The cast is uniformly strong, but it’s the central figure of Emma Watson who anchors the show. Played with charm and nuance by Imogen Deller-Evans, her Emma is bright, curious, and just self-aware enough to side-eye the absurdity of her social constraints. You genuinely root for her – whether she’s enduring a painfully awkward proposal or challenging the puppet strings of narrative fate.
“It’s a rare thing to find a show that feels both comfortingly familiar and thrillingly new. The Watsons pulls off both with aplomb…” – Markus Hamence
The supporting players shine, too. The suitors (played by delightfully by Thomas Midena and Maxwell Wigham) – ranging from pious to pompous – are hilariously drawn, with physical comedy that feels just the right amount of over-the-top. The Watson ( Laura Antoniazzi and Lucy Johnson) sisters inject sibling rivalry with enough sass to rival Pride and Prejudice, and the modern interloper (the playwright, Rebecca Kemp) is both a comic spark and an existential disruptor.
In the hands of this cast, the tonal shifts from Regency drama to philosophical theatre-about-theatre are handled with flair. No one misses a beat – even when the beats are coming from two centuries apart.
Full Cast Lineup:
Imogen Deller-Evan – Emma Watson
Laura Antoniazzi – Elizabeth Watson
Lucy Johnson – Margaret Watson
Harry Passehl – Robert Watson
Bonnie Mcallister – Mrs Robert
Angela Short – Nanny
Lindy Lecornu – Lady Osborne
Genevieve Hudson – Miss Osborne
Maxwell Whigham – Lord Osborne
Thomas Midena – Tom Musgrave
Tom Tassone – Mr Howard
Frederick Pincombe – Charles Howard
Celeste Barone – Mrs Edwards
Louis Bianchini – Redcoat (Bertie)
Dylan Ross – Redcoat
Rebecca Kemp – Servant
David Lockwood – Mr Watson
The Little Theatre: A Perfect Stage for Big Ideas
There’s something delightfully intimate about seeing The Watsons in the Little Theatre. The venue, tucked away like a secret garden within the University of Adelaide, allows the audience to feel like co-conspirators in this narrative heist. The set is simple but evocative – parlour chairs, writing desks, and clever lighting cues keep the focus where it belongs: on the characters and their existential tug-of-war.
And let’s talk value – at $28 for full price and just $23 for concessions, this is a high-quality night of theatre that won’t gut your wallet. In a cultural landscape where ticket prices can skyrocket, the Theatre Guild continues to deliver accessible, thoughtful work that punches well above its budgetary weight. Bravo.
Final Thoughts: A Delicious Mashup of Brains and Bonnet Drama
The Watsons is what happens when you take a classic text, respect its roots, and then joyfully flip it on its powdered wig. It’s theatre for Austen fans, theatre nerds, and anyone who loves watching stories challenge their own rules.
The University of Adelaide Theatre Guild has pulled off a bold, brainy, and wickedly entertaining production. It’s a rare thing to find a show that feels both comfortingly familiar and thrillingly new. The Watsons pulls off both with aplomb – and a healthy dose of postmodern cheek.
Catch it while you can, darlings. Austen never felt so alive, and different.
THE WATSONS – NEED TO KNOW
- What: The Watsons by Laura Wade, presented by University of Adelaide Theatre Guild
- When: 1–10 August 2025
- Where: Little Theatre, The Cloisters, University of Adelaide
- Running Time: Approximately 2 hours
- Warnings: Occasional coarse language
- Tickets: $28 Full / $23 Concession
- Bookings: Via Adelaide Theatre Guild website or at the door (if you’re lucky!)
