Theatre Review: Uncle Vanya – But There’s ASMR Soap Cutting Videos Playing In The Botom Right Corner

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A cross between a classic play and a TikTok video with built in surprises

Presented by: Paper Mouth Theatre in Association with State Theatre Company of South Australia

Reviewed: 11 July, 2026

Presented as part of State Theatre Company South Australia’s SPARK Program with additional support from The City of Adelaide; CreateSA; the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body; and the VCA50 Creative Development Grant.

The title of the piece sends the message that this will not be Uncle Vanya as we know it Jim. Rather the product of the fevered and talented mind of Mary Angley and associates. So, there’s something about Mary… She’s creative, volatile and pretty much up for anything that will inject some new life into an old classic. And that is exactly what this piece of theatre did. Bianka Kennedy’s design gave us a look into the traditional Russian classic setting of the estate in the country – it would have had any number of Chekhov’s characters yearning for something – Moscow, Sonja a new look at an old classic. It moved, changed and morphed seamlessly through every situation demanded of it and that backdrop. Worth the price of the ticket.

The opening gave us a reminder of Chekhov’s satirical capabilities as the characters were always, as the text demands, looking for something over the horizon. Aaron Beattie, Yoz Mench and Poppy Mee, Ellen Graham, Lucy Haas, and Dan Thorpe landed us fairly and squarely in the land of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. The text and angst of Mr Chekhov’s domestic comedy brought to life with an effortless ease only to be interrupted by the shenanigans of the other cast members, It’s almost too much of a surprise to expand on what this talented Theatre Company (Paper Mouth Theatre) have accomplished with some time, professional input and some money. And I certainly don’t want to reveal some of the spontaneous surprises that come out of the blue to turn the night into a cross between a classic play and a TikTok video. The SPARK programme so generously offered each year with some additional grants and input have raised the standard of many companies work to progress an idea with professional support to professional production. 

It is an art to take a classic piece of very well known theatre lull an audience into a false sense of security with a beautifully crafted opening and then divert their attention to a series of jokes and questions that disrupt the play but never disrupt the story, or the very good storytelling. 

Excellent technical support (Fraz the Wizard), some very interesting and innovative use of technology, some very old and some very new gags, some extra attention to detail great costumes, a very interesting soundscape including live and electronic music, some ridiculous ideas that work like a charm (the boxing ring was genius).  I personally like live voice but it seems we are moving into an era where every stage show is amplified, not just the musicals and for this it worked well.

So this old fuddy-duddy with a passion for live theatre, a love of the classics (even if history demands that actors confront their personal bias), and a love for courage and new ideas being given a voice, loved this piece of work. It’s quirky, modern, opinionated and very watchable.

Mary Angley and associates have put their big person pants on and have acquitted themselves with aplomb, dignity and some brass (please insert word of choice here). Really fun night out but be prepared to be outraged. You’re welcome!

ASMR Definition:
[ˌeɪɛsɛmˈɑː]
noun
ASMR (noun)

1. a feeling of well-being combined with a tingling sensation in the scalp and down the back of the neck, as experienced by some people in response to a specific gentle stimulus, often a particular sound:

“ASMR is triggered by things like whispering voices, paper tearing, and scalp massage”
“I’ve often experienced ASMR when having a haircut”

Yep, I think I got a real feeling of well-being but where was my scalp massage.

Reviewed by Adrian Barnes

Photo credit: Matt Byrne