Click on image to buy tickets
Jess Robinson has never been content to simply imitate. She transforms. Whether she’s channeling divas, pop icons, or political figures, Robinson’s work is about reinvention — finding the emotional truth inside the performance. Her new Fringe show, Elton Reimagined, takes one of music’s most flamboyant legends and rebuilds him through a kaleidoscope of voices. It’s cabaret, comedy, and confession rolled into one glitter‑drenched hour.
We talked about voice, vulnerability, and the joy of going all‑in.
Elton John is a towering musical figure. What made you want to pull him apart and rebuild him?
Partly because I love him, and partly because I was curious. I’ve spent my whole career asking, “What if?” What if Barbra Streisand sang this? What if Kate Bush got hold of that? What if somebody looked at a familiar song through a completely different lens? Elton’s catalogue is so rich that it can survive being stretched, twisted and reimagined. The songs are incredibly well written — you can take them a long way from the originals and they still stand up.
You’re known for vocal precision. What’s the hardest Elton vocal trick to nail?
Oddly enough, it’s not really Elton’s voice. I don’t do men… well, not in that way. The challenge is finding the point where Elton disappears and somebody else arrives. People think impressions are about getting the voice right, but they’re actually about making hundreds of tiny decisions — where someone places a vowel, how they shape a phrase, how much breath they use. It’s like being a vocal detective. And because these are songs people know so well, the audience can tell instantly if you’ve got it wrong.
Cabaret lets you play with theatricality. What’s the moment in this show where you go full spectacle?
Lady Gaga performing Crocodile Rock definitely qualifies. Without giving too much away, there’s a point where I look at myself and think, “Well, this escalated quickly.” The audience is swept along in total giddiness.
Elton’s music is emotional, flamboyant, and deeply personal. Which song unlocked the show for you?
Your Song. I know that’s a slightly obvious answer, but there’s a reason it’s become such a classic — it’s deceptively simple. Once I found a version that felt fresh and personal, I suddenly understood what the whole show was trying to be. Everything else grew from there.
You’ve always blended comedy with musicianship. How do you keep both in balance without one overpowering the other?
For me, the music always comes first. The comedy invites people in, but the music has to earn its place. I never want the audience to think, “That was a funny impression.” I want them to think, “Wow, that’s so clever,” or “[sniff] — I didn’t expect to feel something there.” The biggest compliment is when people laugh one minute and find themselves unexpectedly moved the next. That’s the sweet spot.
What’s the unexpected angle on Elton that audiences won’t see coming?
How vulnerable he is. We tend to think of Elton as the glasses, the costumes, the confidence and the huge personality. But underneath all that, there are songs about loneliness, longing, heartbreak, insecurity and survival. The older I get, the more interesting I find that side of him.
Cabaret crowds are wonderfully chaotic. What’s the energy you hope they bring?
Everything I had in mind when I created the show — abandon, joy, playfulness, curiosity, and a willingness to come with me. There are moments where people think they know where we’re heading and then suddenly we’re somewhere completely different. The best audiences are the ones who surrender to the journey a bit. Also, laughing in the right places and standing ovations never hurt.
What’s the costume, prop, or musical flourish you’re most excited about?
Probably the fact that we’ve gone all in. There’s no point doing Elton by halves. There are feathers, surprises, glorious new arrangements I made with Matthew Floyd Jones, and a fun but mildly terrifying moment with a washing line and 25 quick‑fire impressions picked on the spot by the audience.
If Elton himself walked in, what moment would you want him to see?
Barbra Streisand singing I’m Still Standing — it’s an emotional rollercoaster. It’s camp and musically clever. And then he can stay for the finale. Not because it’s the biggest moment, but because it’s where all the threads come together. It’s joyful, emotional, slightly bonkers and completely sincere — which feels quite Elton, actually.
What’s feeding your creativity right now — albums, artists, obsessions?
At the moment I’m in one of those lovely periods where several creative worlds are colliding. Earlier this year I published my book Life is Rosi, which tells the parallel stories of my grandmother and me through our diaries at the age of twenty‑three. I’m exploring whether that might become a stage show or a film, which is exciting. I’m also recording my favourite reinterpretations from Elton Reimagined for an album release — and the fact that it’s coming out on vinyl makes me disproportionately happy. There’s something wonderfully tangible and romantic about vinyl that feels right for these songs. Beyond that, I’m always fascinated by voice, storytelling and transformation. Whether it’s a song, a character, a memoir or an impression, I’m interested in what happens when you take something familiar and look at it from a completely different angle. In fact, I also have a TED Talk coming up in September, which I’ll be honing and rehearsing during the Edinburgh Festival.
Jess Robinson: Elton Reimagined 🎭 Assembly George Square Gardens | Edinburgh Fringe 2026 🕗 7:30 PM | T
Buy tickets here
