Funny and emotional musings about being neurodivergent in a competitive field
Jealousy Play is written and performed by Rachel Isobel Heritage. It is a one-woman, self-confessional play about the struggles of an aspiring actor with undiagnosed autism (and frequent bouts of tonsillitis!). The hapless, lovable protagonist, Joanne Smith (Heritage), talks about being upstaged by the mystically-named Neptune Roberts from GCSE Drama all the way through early adulthood. She also poignantly discusses her autism and anxiety, her financial crises, and her strained relationships.
Though Jealousy Play has its strengths, it reads more like a TED talk than a play! I don’t mean in the boring sense; Heritage is amazing to watch on stage, and as an autistic young adult myself, I can relate to many of the difficulties that Joanne faces. Instead, the play seems to sacrifice what could have been narrative in favour of long monologues about the importance of shooting your shot as an undiscovered artist. The ending is quite overlong, though Heritage’s emotion is genuine and captivating to watch.
Heritage is both comedic and relatable. She incorporates many themes from her personal and professional life into Jealousy Play. One of them is classism in theatre; there’s a scene in the play based on a real audition she had, where the director was telling her to re-read the lines in the style of musical artists she had never heard of. She draws our attention to the many hurdles that actors, especially working-class neurodivergent actors such as herself, are forced to jump over, and the emotional toll this takes on them. Jealousy Play displays a wonderful attention to detail.
The set design is minimalist and Anna Lewis’s direction is a little shaky, but Heritage fully embodies her character and uses every inch of that stage! She knows exactly how much space to take up, and when – during the funny moments, she steps close, making us all laugh with tales of Joanne’s antics, whereas in more frightening or upsetting scenes, such as when Joanne has an autistic meltdown, she curls up in a spot further away. Because Jealousy Play is such a personal project, Heritage’s movements are instinctive, making Joanne such a compelling character.
Overall, Jealousy Play is enjoyable! Though there are quite a few scenes of just talking, Joanne is worth rooting for, as is Heritage. Stories about struggling, determined artists are always worth giving a platform to.
Jealousy Play had a one-night-only run at the Etcetera Theatre on October 26, 2026.