This is Jess
This is Jess, a new musical by Rob Alderton
Thu 25 Nov 7.45pm Book Now
Fri 26 Nov 7.45pm Book Now
Sat 27 Nov 2.30pm Book Now
Sat 27 Nov 7.45pm Book Now
Adults £14
Under 18s £12
Suitable for 15+
Duration 90 mins including 1 interval
A new musical by Rob Alderton
This is a year in the life of one Jessica Delaney. But not just any year: This is the year in which she meets Gino Corsetti and falls in love for the first time – as much to her surprise as anyone else’s! Not long out of university, she’s stuck in a dead-end job and looks for excitement wherever she can find it. She’s funny, outgoing, a bit bonkers, and wears her heart on her sleeve. Oh, and she lives in the beautiful Thames-side town of Wallingford!!
This is Jess! is a one-woman show with a difference: It’s a new and unique form of theatre…
• Part gig: Jess ‘fronts’ the band and talks directly to her audience, no ‘fourth wall’, sharing her experiences,
• Part theatre show: The story is of Jess’s first big romance, told in intimate detail.
• Part stand-up comedy: Her honesty, cheeky persona and love of life make her easy to like and fun to be around.
Jess will be played by Julie Maguire – Local girl done good… Julie’s musical theatre career began here at the Corn Exchange as a young dancer and singer. She graduated from the Arts Education School and quickly became the narrator in the UK tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat,and UK tours of Elvis the Musical and The Roy Orbision Story. More recently she has been the female singer on the Brendon Cole (Strictly Come Dancing) UK tour. As her alter-ego, The Duchess, she fronts the popular rock band, Space Elevator.
The show’s creator, Rob Alderton, is already known to many in Wallingford as the musical director and producer of the Corn Exchange’s collaborations with Crescendo Music – The Sherman Show (the one that brought a full size authentic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car onto our stage!), Showtime and the last live theatre before the March 2020 lockdown, Guys and Dolls. His own career also started at the Corn Exchange, Wallingford, as a musical director in 1981 when he just 14 years old! Since then, Rob has travelled far and wide a promusician and MD for stars such as Sir Cliff Richard, Les Misérablesin the West End, UK tours such as Avenue Q and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, a member of the band Sailor… the list goes on! All the skills learned during a lifetime in musical theatre, plus his love for Wallingford and experience in composing and arranging numerous musicals have led to this new work – This is Jess!
The show features a live professional band and backing singers from the Corn Exchange’s very own talented performers. Many of the show’s songs and the script pay reference to Wallingford landmarks and attractions (mainly the pubs!)
