From the Desk of Jim R: The UK Soaps: Column 1: Jessie Wallace (Kat Slater Moon on BBC One's "Eastenders")

By James V. Ruocco

I'll be the first to admit it.
I absolutely love actress Jessie Wallace, the London-born actress who has played the fiery Kat Slater Moon on and off  BBC One's high-rated primetime soap "Eastenders" from 2000 to the present.  The actress also headlined the acclaimed, but short-lived "Kat & Alfie: Redwater," which was broadcast in 2017, also on BBC One.

So, let's begin.
My love for Wallace isn't romantic at all.
I don't think it is. Then again, one never knows.

But at this point in time, I simply adore her work.
In particular, her dramatic, comedic, offbeat and outrageous portrayal of Kat on the long-running "Eastenders," where the actress just returned a few months ago after her fate was hanging in a balance in the final 2017 episode of "Kat and Alfie: Redwater."
Some believed Kat had died, never to be seen again.
I didn't believe that for a moment.
Kill off Kat. Never.

 

So when Wallace resurrected Kat for her return to Albert Square, a silly, but devious plot was hatched by the Slater family that led everyone in "Eastenders" to believe that the character had actually died. Then, out of the blue, Kat showed up at her mock wake at the Queen Vic and things haven't been the same ever since.

But first, let's backtrack.

Many years ago, I had heard of "Eastenders" from cabbies, groupies and pub punters during frequent trips to London. Sadly, I never actually watched an episode of "EE" until December 10, 2002, when BBC America was showcasing episodes of the popular UK soap that were three weeks behind the original BBC One broadcasts. While channel surfing, I came across the show not actually knowing what I was watching until I checked the channel guide.

Immediately, I was intrigued. Then, ten minutes into the episode I saw Wallace standing behind the bar of the Queen Vic, wearing a tight-fitting leopard outfit, mouthing off to Alfie Moon, played by Shane Ritchie. And, that was that.

It wasn't so much the argument or the situation that suddenly got me hooked. It was Wallace's intense portrayal of Kat Slater that made me sit up and take notice. That said, I've been watching "Eastenders" ever since that wintry December afternoon 16 years ago. And I haven't missed an episode since.


To celebrate Wallace's return to "Eastenders" in 2018, I managed to retrieve footage from the show's online video files or from VHS tapes that were sent to me from an a longtime "EE" fan that included the Slater family's arrival in Albert Square, Kat's many cat fights, infidelities and indiscretions and the big Kat/Zoe Slater mother-daughter reveal. I also got to revisit episodes I had already seen via Daily Motion and YouTube including Kat's big wedding to Alfie Moon, the acclaimed baby swap storyline, which led Kat to believe her newly born son Tommy died a horrible crib death and the series finale episode of "Kat & Alfie: Redwater."

Wallace, as most viewers of "Eastenders" and "Kat & Alfie: Redwater" can attest, has always given 100 percent whenever she's on camera playing Kat Slater Moon. She doesn't just portray the part. She owns it, which makes what she does even more exciting.

Her work is dazzling, electric, raw, amazing and personable. It is fraught with such emotional honesty and conviction, you are never once reminded that she is an actress playing a character on one of the UK's number one primetime dramas. It also helps that the writers of "Eastenders" are behind her 100 percent of the time. Here, as in "Emmerdale," "Coronation Street" and "Hollyoaks," that makes all the difference in the world when translating written text to performance.

And Wallace is a master crafts person in rehearsal, during tech and when the cameras are rolling at the Elstree Studios, where "Eastenders" is filmed, 20 minutes from the heart of central London,.

 

First and foremost, there's the broken-soul Kat that Wallace plays with proper intensity, carefully projecting the character's inner torment and turmoil. Then, there's the saucy, flirty Kat, which the actress has great fun with playing the character's many tics, beats and idiosyncrasies in true "Eastenders" fashion. And finally, there's the bold and brazen Kat who says what she thinks and does what she wants. And, if by chance you mess with her, she's liable to throttle you, kick you in the ass, punch you in the face or knock you down for a fight you're not likely to forget for quite some time.

Wallace, of course, brings real power, passion and fire to these Kat-like moments without ever skipping a beat, a look, an expression, a pause or an important line of dialogue. Whether playing the ballsy Kat, the brash Kat, the daring Kat, the seductive Kat or the vulnerable Kay, the actress delivers the goods with commanding panache.

Regardless of the dialogue or sub-plot, as an actress, she's always prepared. Just look into her eyes, retrace her line delivery or watch her body language. She's amazing, in the fact, that she can thrust you into any given situation with such ease and simplicity, making it impossible for you to turn away, pause the remote or even leave the room for a bacon sarnie, beans on toast or a bag of crisps.

As Kat Slater Moon, Wallace always gives an incredible performance. It's pitch-perfect, always rich in variety, nuance and color. And it always fits appropriately into the show's multiple storylines, arcs and interactions then, or from years ago. Or today, in 2018 in pivotal scenes with current "EE" cast favorites Laila Morse, Gillian Wright, Lacey Turner, Steve McFadden, Linda Henry,  Lorraine Stanley and Adam Woodyatt, among others.

In conclusion, most people from the "Eastenders" fan sites on "Facebook," "Twitter" or the ever-popular "Walford Web," know that Wallace is my all-time favorite female actress on "Eastenders." She always has been ever since I first glimpsed Kat behind the bar of the Queen Vic, in a very tight-fitting, low-cut leopard dress chatting it up with the punters and serving pints of beer in typical pub fashion.

In 2018, that assessment still stands and that is the main reason why I'm writing this column.
If you're already a longtime fan of "Eastenders" or you have never seen the BBC drama before, believe me when I say, 'You won't be able to take your eyes off Jessie Wallace.'
That simple flash of a smile, the fiery intensity in her eyes when Kat's pushed to the brink or the unbridled vulnerability when the character loses complete control, leaves you transfixed or on the edge of your seat begging for more or hitting replay over and over on your remote.

Kat's back and she's not going nowhere. And neither is Jessie Wallace.

Gone is the make-up free, bohemian, soft-edged Kat from "Kat & Alfie: Redwater." This time around, the writing team of "Eastenders" have brought back the brazen, loud-mouthed Kat Slater Moon that we all know and love, complete with tacky high heels and boots, bright ruby-red lips, torn stockings and lots of saucy make up. And let's not forget, those trademark tight-fitting leopard prints.



“The scripts are great," says Wallace. "Now that it’s actually happening, the excitement is overwhelming. I certainly haven’t stopped smiling since I started filming. It really does feel like coming home.
"And it's all good. I don’t want to walk through Sainsbury’s and get a fish slung in my face."

 

"Eastenders" is broadcast on BBC One Mondays and Fridays at 8.p.m  and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On demand episodes are available on BBC iPlayer for 30 days after their initial broadcast on BBC One.