My Top 5 Showtunes: Jodie Jacobs

Jodie Jacobs' theatre credits include Little Shop of Horrors (West End), Carrie (Southwark Playhouse) and the original UK cast of The Wedding Singer. She is currently starring in new British rock musical 27 at the Cockpit Theatre.

We caught up with Jodie and asked her: "If you were stranded on a desert island which five showtunes could you not live without?"

First, I have to prefix this entire list with a disclaimer. This was torturous. I am exhausted. It has taken me three full days of listening to music when I should've been enjoying a wedding. I have anthropomorphised every showtune I've ever listened to and I feel guilty for leaving them out. I will have to talk to a professional about this. You are terrible people. With that said my songs are…

1. "Mountain Duet" from Chess

My favourite musical. I have every version available and some naughty bootlegs too (whoopsie). It is my dream show to be in, to listen to, to watch. But I think this song is what made me want to be in musicals. Its monologues. It's a conversation. It's a sexually charged love song. It has big notes. It's basically Abba. So much to cherish.

I heard it on the radio 100 years ago and took myself to the library. I sang it to the assistant. She must've been stagey and proud too because she knew what tip I was on. I borrowed it on vinyl and never gave it back. This song is so good, it turned me to crime.

2. "Oom Pah Pah" from Oliver

My cousin Georgia Brown played the original Nancy in 1960. But even if I didn't feel this show running through my stagey, East London veins, I'd love this song. It is dirty, brassy and loud, like moi, and a cardiovascular joy to sing. You feel defiant and proud with your arms in the air and your chest heaving at the end. You earn that. And if I never got to hear it again, I'd be a less theatrical person. No one wants that version of me, she's profoundly dull and badly dressed.

3. "Flying Home" from Songs For a New World

This is one of the songs that kept me up at night this weekend. There are about four Jason Robert Brown songs that even after weeks, months, years of listening to, still make me emotionally unstable, but I guess this is the one I need most regularly in my ear holes. I would trade my English soul to sing it live. You know the kind of pained, contorted, bent double, sweatily anchoring for those religious top notes, kind of singing. Gimme.

Footnote: I also had an out of consciousness experience when I heard the strings at 4:22 into "One Second and a Million Miles" from Bridges of Madison County. (My boyfriend says 'out of consciousness' isnt a thing. I'm just describing exactly how I felt. I was not aware and not responding to my surroundings.)

First time I listened to it I was on the tube. I combusted, broke down. I had to pretend I'd just broken up with my boyfriend because nice people were concerned about me. In hindsight, I should've put it on loudspeaker and made the whole carriage listen to it. They would have understood.

4. "What More Can I Say" from Falsettos

Ah man. Jews, Gays and this song. I can't even. I am in love with it. I can't write about it. I hurt. I ache. Every song in the show is my idea of perfect. But this one burns me. I'm a hot couch ridden mess now because I just listened to it again. Don't even care. I weep proudly. William Finn and his lyrics. Everything. Marvin loves Whizzer…"I can't eat breakfast. I cannot tie my shoe". Get out. Just get out.

5. "Come Follow The Band" from Barnum

My favourite song of all time of all genres. I don't even know when I first heard it! I cannot really explain how I feel when I hear the opening bars of this song. People and music are weird. I want to melt this song down and drink it. It thrills me. It is fundamental to my happiness. If I could be a song, I want to be this song. But with a key change.

There we go. I loved every minute of agonising over this list. I love musicals so much. You reminded me.

Kindest, stagiest regards

Jodie J xx