STARRING as Elaine, daughter of the infamous Mrs Robinson, promising young actor Jessica Brooks leaps from one dysfunctional family to the next for her role in The Graduate.
Known to most people as Freddie Hauser, the unhinged offspring of club manager Stefan in ITV's Footballer's Wives, Jessica made her debut in the second series of the show. Despite entertaining viewers with Freddie's increasingly bizarre antics, she will not be appearing in the new series.
Jessica, aged 22, said: "They left my character hanging but I am not in the third series. I think it is more fun to move around because otherwise you become too closely associated with that character. It becomes hard to do other things. Martine McCutcheon is doing incredibly well but she is still Tiff from EastEnders - it is a blessing and a curse."
For the immediate future Jessica, who studied Classics at Oxford, is happy with her current role: "It has been a really fun tour because you come out of each show feeling happy - it is constant entertainment.
"It is interesting how the play is different from the film. For example, my character in the film is quite a small role but in the play it is bigger, giving me a better relationship with Benjamin and Mrs Robinson. I think it takes it to another level."
The play has also focused on more of the comical elements. Jessica said: "I think people are often quite shocked because they are not quite sure they are supposed to laugh - the seduction scene is quite amusing."
It is the seduction, the most publicised scene in the play, which has attracted most interest on this tour. Jessica's co-star Glynis Barber announced that her Mrs Robinson would not perform a full frontal strip, as had become de rigueur with her predecessors.
Jessica said: "To say Glynis refused to bare all is not really true - it is not in the script and she was never asked to, to my knowledge. In the film what we look at is a quick flash of Anne Bancroft's chest and then it goes back to Dustin Hoffman. You are looking at Benjamin's reaction and it actually serves the text very well."
Jessica is undecided whether she would strip for a role. "I would never make a judgement - it is not something important enough to have thought about really. In this production I wear my underwear and I am probably more naked than Glynis, but that does not pose any problem to me."
Jessica's youth defies her experience in the acting world, having performed in many National Youth Music Theatre productions. She has also performed at the Royal Opera House and the Edinburgh Festival.
The young actor is looking forward to appearing in Malvern as she will be able to stay with her parents who live in Herefordshire. Both are former BBC producers and have always backed their daughter's ambitions.
Jessica said: "Having grown up with TV and that kind of world I know that it is not all glamorous, and my parents knew I was not going into it with rose-tinted glasses."
What the future holds for Jessica is anyone's guess and she has certainly not ruled out the prospect of taking on Hollywood. She said: "I have been to America and I am building up contacts there but certainly for the moment I am happy being here and I would like to do some more theatre."
The first national tour of The Graduate comes to Malvern Theatres from Monday and runs until Saturday, December 6. For more information call the box office on 01684 892277 or visit www.malvern-theatres.co.uk.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article