Birmingham-born Jessie Hart returns to her hometown in Les Misérables as 1st Cover Éponine and Ensemble in the UK tour. We stepped inside her dressing room to find out what she needs when touring with such a huge production.

 

Hi! Thanks for letting us into your dressing room. Can you tell us a bit more about you and your role in the show/company…?

My name is Jessie Hart and I’m 1st Cover Eponine and Ensemble in the Les Mis UK Tour. Born and bred in the Black Country – it’s so special to ‘bring it home’ and be able to perform in front of so many family and friends in such an iconic show.

How long would you say you spend in your dressing room every week?

Scarily, I just had to do the math, and it’s minimum 12 hours a week! We have to be in the theatre an hour and a half before the show to prepare and warm up. So we’re in the dressing room getting into pin-curls, getting changed and we obviously nip up in the interval. On a two show day we sometimes spend our break in-between shows there just having dinner, resting and watching an episode of something. It all adds up!

Talk us through some of the items in your dressing room…

I always have a small towel on my desk to place my stuff around. I’m a little OCD with my area so try to keep it as tidy and neat as I can! It’s nice to have a little bit of home with you when you’re touring so I have cards and photos of family stuck around the mirror. Other items I have are a mug for a cuppa, moisturiser, deodorant, hand cream, my book, snacks – all essentials for doing the show!

If you were only allowed to have one item in your dressing room, what would it be?

It would have to be my photos and cards. We spend so much time in there (as I just worked out!) so it’s important to have a bit of home with you in every city. They pick you up when you’re having a harder day. They frame your area quite nicely too and make it look pretty – bonus!

What’s the one thing you wish you could have with you in your dressing room that you don’t have?

Maybe a coffee machine? So you can have a posh, decent coffee without having to take your slippers off on a two show day!

Do you have any dressing room rituals?

I always have to clean my teeth before a show, it’s habit. Twice on a two show day! Also, we always appoint a DJ in the girls’ room to play a few songs before the show to get us in the mood.

Thanks for speaking with us – any dressing room requests during your time in Birmingham?

No, I don’t think so! Your dressing room is great. We’ve had a few Wi-Fi issues so far in other theatres and yours works like a dream. Makes the all-important Netflix between shows on a two show day possible and keeps us girls very happy!

Les Misérables is on at Birmingham Hippodrome until Sat 11 May and returns in June 2020.