Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Jess Robinson: Elton Reimagined
Jess Robinson
Genre: character comedy, Comedy, Musical Theatre
Venue: Assembly George Square Gardens Piccolo Tent
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
A dazzling display of vocal wizardry that turns Elton John’s iconic songbook into a playground for some of music’s most recognisable voices. Jess Robinson moves effortlessly from diva to diva, combining uncanny mimicry, formidable vocals and playful crowd work. Hugely inventive, technically astonishing and an absolute joy.
Review
Jess Robinson: Elton Reimagined is playing at Assembly George Square Gardens in the Piccolo Tent throughout the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2026. This magnificent display of vocal wizardry and perfectly pitched mimicry baffles and amazes in its detail and diva power.
We are greeted by Robinson at the door to the tent and she is resplendent in sparkles and yellow feathery plumes. ‘Subtle and classy,’ she later quips, just as her fondly remembered grandmother had urged her to be if she took to the stage. You only need a minute in her presence before it simply has to be said: Jess Robinson is everything. No wait, not everything… everyone! Yes, she has a showreel of divas trapped inside her head and they are trying to burst out, each one desperate for their moment in the spotlight. Well… who is Jess to deny such legends as Shirley Bassey, Dolly Parton and, erm… Marge Simpson?
Almost everyone has a favourite Elton John song and his vocals are so ingrained in our memories that we would likely all be able to give his trademark warbling a little go but this is where Robinson’s genius comes into effect. It’s Elton but like you’ve never heard him before. She playfully acts out being overtaken by the famous women in her repertoire as each steps forward to belt out the hits in their own unique voice.
We get the dusky tones of Billie Eilish, the smoky jazz of Billie Holiday, the 50-a-day rasp of Marge Simpson and a barnstorming Barbra Streisand. It’s a fascinating and impressive thing to watch. You don’t get to appear on Dead Ringers unless you’re an excellent mimic but to then transpose that skill into singing whole sections of famous songs, whose originals are so firmly set in our minds, in a brand-new and exciting way is the work of someone who is highly creative and willing to take risks – and boy do they pay off.
What makes the performance even more impressive is the speed and apparent ease with which Robinson moves between voices. These are not simply impressions dropped in for a quick laugh. Each character has to retain their recognisable vocal qualities while navigating the melody, rhythm and demands of an Elton John song. At times, you almost find yourself forgetting the technical skill involved because Robinson makes the whole thing look so effortless.
Add to this that Robinson is adept at crowd work and off-the-cuff jokes and you have a thoroughly mesmerising hour of song, impressions and joy. There is a warmth to the whole production that ensures the technical virtuosity never overwhelms the simple pleasure of hearing great songs performed in wonderfully unexpected ways. Elton Reimagined is a joyous celebration of an iconic songbook, filtered through the extraordinary vocal talents of a performer who seems capable of becoming almost anyone she chooses.
