Joe Alessi, an accomplished actor born in Accrington, has returned to the stage at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, where he is currently performing in the lively musical “Spend, Spend, Spend.” As he stands on the boards of this historic venue, Alessi reflects on how the Royal Exchange has profoundly shaped his life and career. \u201cI\u2019m so proud to be back in this theatre,\u201d he shares, his voice filled with an unmistakable affection. \u201cIt\u2019s really where it all began for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alessi recounts his formative experiences at the Royal Exchange, recalling that his first visit to the theatre was in the mid-1980s. He was brought to see “Edward II,” directed by the esteemed Nicholas Hytner and featuring a star-studded cast that included Ian McDiarmid, Michael Grandage, and Iain Glen. The performance left an indelible impression on the young Alessi. \u201cI couldn\u2019t believe what I\u2019d seen,\u201d he says, reflecting on the clarity and beauty of the production. \u201cIt was so crystal clear and so beautifully done. I knew then this was what I wanted to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Years later, Alessi found himself not just watching performances but taking center stage himself. After landing his first acting job at the Royal Exchange, he has returned to this cherished theatre multiple times over the years. \u201cThis theatre really is one of those special places,\u201d he explains. \u201cThe whole building is geared towards the show. It feels like an extended family.\u201d This sense of belonging and community has been a constant in Alessi’s career, making his latest role feel like a homecoming.<\/p>\n
Over the years, Alessi’s career has taken him far and wide, including stints in the West End, on Broadway, and in numerous television roles, one of the more controversial being his portrayal of the paedophile Kel Hinchley in “Coronation Street.” Yet, he remains grounded, humorously acknowledging the improbability of his journey as the son of a tailor from Accrington. \u201cInitially, I had no idea about making acting my career,\u201d he admits. His unexpected pathway began in Blackburn, where he worked at a menswear shop called Lord John. \u201cI started off as a sales assistant and ended up becoming the manager.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was during this time that Alessi’s life took a pivotal turn thanks to his assistant manager, Julie, and her mother, Maureen, who were deeply involved in the Blackburn Arts Club. \u201cMaureen kept inviting me down,\u201d he recalls, laughing at how her encouragement began. \u201cI wasn\u2019t interested at first, but then she got me by saying the classic line, \u2018there\u2019s lots of girls there.\u2019\u201d Intrigued, Alessi decided to give it a try, quickly discovering a passion he hadn\u2019t previously recognized. \u201cThey kept telling me I was very good and should consider taking it further,\u201d he remembers.<\/p>\n
Unlike many of his friends who were settling into conventional adult lives, with mortgages and families, Alessi was still living at home when he made the decision to shift gears. He took a leap of faith, giving up his job in retail to enroll in a two-year theatre course at Accrington and Rossendale College. This course, led by Martin Cosgrif, turned out to be a transformative experience. \u201cIt was a breeding ground for new talent,\u201d Alessi states. Names that emerged from that nurturing environment include Julie Hesmondhalgh, Mina Anwar, Connie Hyde, Dominic Brunt, and Lee Ingleby.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of it was new to me when I started college,\u201d Alessi acknowledges, likening his experience to that of Rita in “Educating Rita.” \u201cIt all happened by accident.\u201d He speaks fondly of Cosgrif, who passed away during the COVID pandemic. \u201cHe was amazing,\u201d Alessi recalls. \u201cHe prepared us for auditions to drama school; we had our audition pieces nailed down. So much so that the colleges would contact him to find out what was happening in Accrington.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alessi was successful in his pursuits, receiving offers from three of the UK\u2019s leading drama schools: LAMDA, Bristol Old Vic, and Webber Douglas. However, he still had to undergo an audition at County Hall in Preston to secure a grant, a process that felt surreal to him. Fortunately, he received a full grant along with a maintenance allowance, enabling him to attend LAMDA. From that moment on, Alessi\u2019s career began to flourish.<\/p>\n
During his time at LAMDA and across various prominent theatres, including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Alessi has continued to hold the Royal Exchange Theatre close to his heart. He remembers the production of “Animal Crackers,” a show based on the Marx Brothers, where he played Chico Marx. This particular show not only became a hit at the Royal Exchange but also transferred to the West End, where Alessi received an Olivier Award nomination for his performance. \u201cThat show was very special for me and opened a lot of doors,\u201d he recalls, drawing a direct trajectory from that initial outing to his current work.<\/p>\n
“Spend, Spend, Spend,” the current production that has brought him back to the Royal Exchange, tells the story of Viv Nicholson and her husband, who win \u00a3150,000 on the football pools only to squander it all. Alessi describes it as \u201ca great show,\u201d filled with rich, complex layers. He highlights the contributions of his fellow cast members Rachel Leskovac and Rose Galbraith, who portray the two iterations of Viv\u2014it\u2019s a storytelling format that requires every actor to pull their weight for the ensemble to succeed. \u201cIt feels like no sooner are you on stage than you are taking your bows,\u201d he notes. \u201cIt\u2019s a beautifully bittersweet story that resonates on many levels.\u201d<\/p>\n
As a great storyteller himself, Alessi captures the attention of everyone around him as he spins tales of his adventures in the theatre. One particularly memorable experience was performing \u201cBrief Encounter\u201d in New York, where he had the thrilling opportunity to perform in a trendy Brooklyn theatre. To his amazement, Lou Reed sat in the front row with Laurie Anderson, providing a surreal backdrop for the performance. \u201cWe returned the following year to Broadway, this time in the former Studio 54 nightclub, which had reverted back to a theatre,\u201d he adds, nostalgia lacing his words.<\/p>\n
He recounts how, pre-show, cast members would don usher outfits and walk around the audience, leading to a fateful encounter with none other than David Bowie. \u201cThere I was, face-to-face with David Bowie,\u201d he laughs, \u201cand if I could just meet Iggy Pop, I\u2019d have the holy trinity!\u201d<\/p>\n
Alessi\u2019s journey in theatre has also been marked by some unexpected twists. One such moment occurred while working on “Animal Crackers” at the Royal Exchange, when he received an unusual letter from the BBC inviting him to appear on Radio 3’s “In Tune” programme to perform Rachmaninov\u2019s \u201cElegy in E Flat Minor\u201d on the trombone. \u201cIn ‘Animal Crackers,’ I played the trombone, but only three notes to signify the punchline of a joke,\u201d he clarifies, bewildered by the offer. \u201cI thought it must be some sort of publicity stunt, but none of the cast knew anything about it, even my agent was clueless.\u201d<\/p>\n
When he reached out to the producer of Radio 3, hoping to clarify the mix-up, he learned that the confusion stemmed from a coincidence. \u201cYou are Joe Alessi, aren\u2019t you?\u201d the producer asked. It turned out that the producer was referring to a principal trombone player with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra who happened to share his name. Alessi had once done radio plays and the producer had simply pulled his name from the system\u2014a delightful twist of fate that led him to eventually meet the trombone virtuoso for lunch in New York. \u201cHe laughed his head off when I told him about the Radio 3 invitation,\u201d he recalls with a chuckle.<\/p>\n
Even as he reflects on his fruitful career, Alessi reveals a deep-seated regret\u2014one that centers on his father, Giuseppi, who was a celebrated tailor known for crafting suits for celebrities and sports stars from his shop on Derby Street in Accrington. Giuseppi worked tirelessly until he passed away at the age of 82 in 2015, and Alessi shares that his father would often invite him into the family business. \u201cMy dad kept saying, \u2018Why don\u2019t you come to the shop?\u2019\u201d he recalls. \u201cBut I just wasn\u2019t interested.\u201d He acknowledges how much he loves clothes and fashion, citing cooking and fashion as two of his greatest passions. \u201cI would have loved to have been a tailor, and I only realized it too late,\u201d he states, a hint of sadness evident in his tone.<\/p>\n
This regret weighs on him, particularly because he never communicated this to his father. \u201cOnce a Catholic, albeit a lapsed one, you never lose the guilt,\u201d he muses, explaining how he even got a tattooed black armband as a form of penance following his father\u2019s passing.<\/p>\n
Despite the challenges and regrets, Joe Alessi embraces the unpredictability of his chosen profession. \u201cI\u2019m just happy being a jobbing actor,\u201d he asserts. \u201cIt\u2019s a job I love doing, but over the years I\u2019ve also learned when to say no to things that aren\u2019t right for me.\u201d He expresses a contentment in being true to himself as an actor, a realization that comes with experience. And as he laughs, he adds, \u201cAnyway, there will always be parts for me because I\u2019m a good actor.\u201d<\/p>\n
With “Spend, Spend, Spend” running at the Royal Exchange in Manchester until January 11, 2024, Joe Alessi’s journey as an actor continues to unfold, deeply intertwined with the legacy of the theatre that first ignited his passion. As he takes the stage for each performance, he not only brings his character to life but also honors the profound influence that the Royal Exchange has had on his life\u2014a theatre that has served as both a home and a launching pad for a remarkable career.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Joe Alessi, an accomplished actor born in Accrington, has returned to the stage at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, where he is currently performing…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-568070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gb-news","category-uk-news"],"yoast_head":"\n