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Rocket Women! Two Talented Performers Taking on Elton!

James Macfarlane James Macfarlane
25 Jul 2026

Elton John has spent decades reinventing himself. What’s your reinvention adding that couldn’t exist if you were trying to be faithful to the original?

nobody can out-Elton Elton. That’s a fool’s errand.

Jess Robinson: The thing I realised quite quickly is that nobody can out-Elton Elton. That’s a fool’s errand.

What I can do is ask, “What happens if these songs fall into completely different hands?” So rather than trying to recreate the records, I’ve taken the emotional DNA of the songs and let other iconic women interpret them.

It turns out Yellow Brick Road  means something different when it’s sung by Kate Bush. Honky Cat lands differently through the lens of Lily Allen! And there’s something wonderfully mischievous about hearing Elton’s music arrive wearing somebody else’s clothes.

Katie Pritchard: If people come and see my show it’s likely they won’t be able to tell me apart from the OG Icon and Legend himself. Not a single chance. So yes, I am 100% faithful to the maestro. Oh, and - in my show he also loves to bake. Which I think is still 100% accurate - I’ve seen Elton’s TikTok’s about cleaning out his dirty little oven!

Which Elton song surprised you most once you started working with it?

JR: I’m Still Standing.

I think most of us think of it as this huge, joyous, defiant anthem. But when you strip it right back, there’s an extraordinary vulnerability underneath it.

The lyric isn’t really saying, “Look how invincible I am.”

It’s saying, “I got through.”

They’re very different things.

The older I get, the more moving I find that distinction.

KP: I think what surprises me always is not one specific song, but that Elton John has written songs in so many different musical genres and yet you know when you hear an Elton song that it’s him! A genius!

But if we want one specific surprising example, there’s none better than “I’m Still Standing” – there are so many words you can pop in there instead of standing. Name a more versatile song for a parody…I’ll wait…

What creative rule did you set yourself when making this show?

JR: No impressions for the sake of impressions.

I’ve spent years doing voices, and I love doing voices, but I didn’t want this to feel like a collection of clever party tricks. . . Every artist had to reveal something new about the song, and every song had to reveal something about the artist.

KP: We only had 2 rules: 1. Make sure it’s super clear how much I love Elton John. And 2. Everything that has gone into the show had to give me the giggles when I thought of it. This is the most strictly I’ve adhered to this rule before. If it didn’t bring me a stitch from laughing, then it’s not in the show! Yes, I suffer for my art – just call me Van Gogh.

Jess, which artist unexpectedly turned out to have the most in common with Elton?

JR: Honestly? Billie Holiday.

On the surface they seem worlds apart, but both are artists who have always had enormous ups and downs. . . But neither has ever apologised for being ambitious. Neither has ever been interested in making themselves smaller to make other people comfortable.

And both possess that rare quality of being completely distinctive within about three notes.

You know exactly who you’re listening to.

Katie, how do you know when an idea is just the right amount of absurd?

KP: I don’t know what gives the suggestion that this show might be absurd? Despite my best efforts, this is somehow the most mainstream show I’ve ever created!

Look, there’s a fine line to tread between my ideas that work and my ideas that don’t! That’s where my amazing director - Adam Larter comes in! (Adam is a brilliant act and who has a wonderful show up at the fringe too so you should go and check him out!) If when I pitch my silly ideas to Adam he’s just looking at me plain baffled, the idea goes in the bin until I make the concept clearer, and if when I’m pitching an idea he gets a glint in his eye or starts coming up with silly things that could also be included in the idea then I know I’m onto a winner. Then I go off to try it out, usually after having spent about 10 hours making a prop or a song for the bit. So, I try it out full commitment to see if it’s gonna be staying in the show. I’ve got so many discarded props my room looks like a fancy-dress shop! I am actually on hand prototype number 3 - there are so many giant hands everywhere, just lying there, waving at nothing, spooky!

I’ve really tried with this show to make it an absolute nonsense – it’s got songs, it’s easy to join in with, it’s got arguably too many dance moves in it for a baking gameshow hosted by Elton, and I am just finding so much joy in performing this character!

If Elton himself watched your show, what’s the moment you think he’d enjoy most?

JR: I suspect he’d enjoy the fact that we’re having fun and as a musician and think he'd be surprised and amused and impressed at the way I’ve reimagined and arranged his songs with the help of my amazing musical collaborator Matthew Flloyd Jones. 

One of the things I love about Elton is that alongside all the artistry, all the glamour and all the extraordinary musicianship, there’s a real sense of play. So I hope he’d enjoy the moments where the audience suddenly realises what’s happening and you can feel the collective grin spread across the room.

Although if I’m being completely honest, I’d quite like him to enjoy the standing ovations at the end as well. I’ve got no intention of pretending I’d be cool about Elton John applauding me.

KP: I would like to think he would enjoy what I’ve done. It’s all been created out of love! Did you know, my first job as a musician was working as a piano player and singer in a late-night showbiz bar in Soho where I sang 90% Elton John songs? So, this show is born from a real love of Elton - everything he’s created both musically and visually, and all the amazing charity work he’s done across multiple important causes and vitally for the LGBTQIA+ community!

I hope he sees all that love in my show, and then I also hope he thinks “Hey, I could host a baking game show on TV” and maybe he goes on to make one? Or maybe he writes a hot new musical? I’ve popped a few suggestions in my show for him in case he pops in. Or maybe he sees how much he’s inspired this little musician who grew up not too far from him who has been in bands playing his music ever since she was 10 years old, and can feel the warm fuzzies about that?

Or maybe he’ll just love my finale outfit and try and steal it?

Basically, Elton – you’re welcome anytime xxx

James Macfarlane

James Macfarlane

Broadway Baby's Comedy Editor and Scotland Editor. In a previous life James did the same thing for ScotsGay. But we poached him.

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