Royston actress Jessica Negus sails in to Campus West (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Royston actress Jessica Negus sails in to Campus West

10:34am Wednesday 12th December 2007 in

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PLAYING your first panto lead is always special and for Jessica Negus it's even more important to be making her debut so close to home, after spending the past few years performing on cruise ships.

Jessica was born and raised on an arable farm near Royston, Hertfordshire and now takes the stage as Princess Rosalind in Campus West's pantomime, Jack and The Beanstalk. Jessica's talent for performing developed at a very early age, but it was really pure chance that put her on the stage in the first place. Had she gone along to pre-school with all the other children, Jessica might not have discovered her true vocation, as she explains: "I always wanted to be a dancer, but it was only because I refused to go to playschool and my mum said I needed to mix with other children that I started doing ballet at the local village hall. When those classes got cancelled I was heartbroken but my mum took me to the Wendy Truett Theatre School, which is now Stage Right Studios and I discovered there were more things than just ballet I could learn so I ended up going to dance and singing classes every day."

Jessica's dedication paid off and she went on to attend the Urdang Academy Finsbury aged 16 but there was still more work to be done.

Jessica says: "I had to work long and hard to get the funding to go there. I received a government grant and an academy scholarship but also I did summer jobs and wrote a lot of letters to get support. I think it definitely makes you appreciate it more if you've had to work for your place. It made me work harder while I was at the school and I know of people who never turned up to class and haven't worked since. I had to work hard for fear of not being able to carry on."

Jessica graduated in 2002 with a National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre. Credits while studying included Gretal in Hansel and Gretal, Lucinda and understudy to Cinderella in Into the Woods and Joanne in Godspell. Since graduating, Jessica has travelled the world working on cruise ships as a dancer. Her performances at sea include Moulin Rouge, My Fair Lady, Lots of Love, On Broadway, Mamma Mia!, Swing! and A Night at the Oscars. She also played Ruth in Noel Coward's Blythe Spirit. Jessica then moved on to become principal singer in Apassionata, Rock at the Opera and Zing! Went the Strings on RMS Queen Mary 2. Back on land, Jessica's theatre credits include Moved to Dance at the Royal Albert Hall, Yum Yum in Hot Mikado at the Gordon Craig Theatre and last year, she was dance captain in Aladdin at Campus West.

After all that travelling Jessica says she's glad to be spending Christmas at home with friends and family, although she had many memorable experiences.

"It's wonderful getting paid to do a job you love. The best part of it is travelling around to all the different ports and going shopping and sightseeing. Seeing Egypt and the pyramids was pretty amazing and every dancer's dream is to see a show on Broadway. Then there's the Caribbean for sunbathing. The downside is when you're away for six months solid and you're in Canada and America and you can't see your family. What I missed most was my window in my room. There are no windows in our cabins and it's pitch black when you turn lights out. I miss the daylight and trees and houses."

Now aged 24, Jessica is delighted to be travelling the UK with Mad About The Musicals after the panto season is over. For now, she's enjoying Christmas surrounded by those she loves.

"My whole family is coming to see me perform including my grandparents, parents, cousins, aunts and uncles and friends. They all booked their tickets months ago. I'm very excited as it's the first time I've seen one of my costumes and when I tried it it was just right. It's so pretty and sparkly and lacy. It's exactly what you'd think of as a princess dress and it fits like an absolute glove."

Jack and The Beanstalk, is at Campus West Theatre until Tuesday, January 1, 2008. Tickets: 01707 357117 (£11-£13.50)