DIRECTING AND TEACHING
(Directing is right here, scroll down further down the page for teaching)
(Directing is right here, scroll down further down the page for teaching)
Jonathan directs comedy and live theatre. He works with ensembles and solo performers. Some recent work below:
Lorna Rose Treen: Skin Pigeon
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - The Telegraph
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - The Observer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - The Independent
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - The Evening Standard
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lost in Theatreland
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - The Wee Review
Director of debut character comedy show Skin Pigeon from award-winning comedian Lorna Rose Treen (Funny Women Double Award Winner 2022, Chortle Best Newcomer 2023)
Character comedian Lorna Rose Treen has been pretending to be other people for fun since she could dress herself. Now she's inviting you inside her mind for an hour of characters, comedy, content, content, content, costumes and content.
The greatest thing to come out of Redditch since the fishing tackle. The debut show from Chortle's Best Newcomer 2023 and Funny Women Awards' first-ever double winner (2022).
I laughed so much I violently bit my tongue' Independent
'Off-kilter energy and unflagging commitment to the silly' Chortle.co.uk
The Attic @ Pleasance Courtyard 2nd - 27th August
16:35 (60 mins) 14+
Upstairs @ Soho Theatre 19th - 28th September 2023
8.45pm and 10.30pm
Criminally Untrue
Director of long-form improvised true crime documentary troupe Criminally Untrue.
Criminally Untrue is a completely improvised true crime documentary, based entirely on your suggestions. Help a team of improvisers create a crime that never happened. Complete with inexpert interviews, unstructured reconstructions and fabricated evidence. Not a N*tfl*x original.
“Criminally Untrue is the perfect improvised comedy for improv-phobes. Spinning the cliches of true crime documentary to create a new hilarious narrative each time, it’s a show you could happily see again.” (The Recs 2022)
Stanley Arts Residency 2022
Bridge House Comedy Festival 2022
The Laurels, Whitley Bay 2022
VAULT Festival 18th - 19th March 2023
The Bone Wars
Director of live cartoon The Bone Wars or: How I Realised the Only Friends I Needed Were Inside Me All Along
A tale of double-crossing, disgrace and dinosaur bones.
It’s 1877. In a dusty Pennsylvanian office, esteemed palaeontologist Othniel Charles Marsh is PVA-ing a brontosaurus’ head onto a brontosaurus’ tail, and calling it a new species. Meanwhile, esteemed palaeontologist #no2, Edward Drinker Cope is in a midwestern quarry about to dynamite a dig site which will blow up hundreds of ancient fossils. Both are striving to be the greatest dinosaur hunter on the planet, but who will win? How did they get here? How far will they go to destroy the other’s reputation? This is the story of bribery, theft, secret agents, 142 species of dinosaur, two palaeontologists and one dirty rivalry.
It’s also about bones. What is a bone? Why is a bone? Am I one big bone?
The Bone Wars is a live comedy cartoon performed by comedian and writer Lorna Rose Treen who knows loads about bones. She’s full of them!
Part of the April Fools Festival at The OSO Arts Centre Sat 2nd April 2022
Assistant Directing
Assistant director for Bristol Acting Academy at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Teaching and assistant directing for Shakespeare Week Intensive and Modern Theatre Week Intensive.
Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Earthquakes in London by Mike Bartlett
Some quotes from individuals who have worked with Jonathan:
- "Jonathan is supportive, critical, and helps you to elevate your work to a place you didn't know it could get to" - Lorna
- "Jon always has new ideas and is very cheerful, he takes time to listen and gives great advice" - Ben
- "Intuitive, appreciative, inclusive" - Lina
- "Jonathan is a brilliant teacher, he is great at creating a welcoming atmosphere but also being able to push you to improve within it. Saying that Jonathan is good at giving advice or good at tweaking an individual performance is an understatement. He can identify things that will make your performance 10x better within a second of you being on stage and you'll be left wondering how he noticed it so easily." - Jamie
- "Very funny and really informative. he took time to get to know everyone's needs and give specific advice" - Lottie
- "Jonathan is a brilliant teacher who made everyone feel comfortable and allowed the group to have fun and learn the sometime scary art of ‘funny’"
And some quotes from publications about his previous work:
- "polished and successful" - Lost in TheatreLand
- "Offbeat characters, bizarre costumes, ridiculous gags" - The Independent
- "Every sentence ends in a punchline" - Funny Women
- "A hilarious show that will leave you wanting more" - BroadwayWorld
Jonathan teaches all ages from beginners to experienced performers. He specialises in teaching improvisation, clown and playfulness in theatre and comedy. He works in the UK and internationally, including as a visiting professor across USA. He also coaches actors and comedians 1-2-1. Contact me for full teaching CV and to begin a conversation about workshops - full day, half day, regular workshops, 1-3 hour sessions, text projects etc.
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR INTRO TO CHARACTER COMEDY LAB AT SOHO THEATRE
Create a new character, unlock your creativity and find what makes you uniquely funny on our new 2-day Intro to Character Comedy Lab.
You’ll join the long-standing tradition of character comics on the UK comedy scene (Diane Morgan, Victoria Wood, Alan Partridge, Lolly Adefope etc). You’ll find freedom, joy and hilarity in yourself, by pretending to be somebody else.
NEw short course at Guildhall
The Actor's Playground
Tuesday evenings 23rd April - 11th June 2024
7-9pm
Tuesday evenings 23rd April - 11th June 2024
7-9pm
Acting Funny Cohort Feb 2024
ACTING FUNNY AT GUILDHALL
Acting Funny
Tuesday evenings 23 January–27 February 2024
7-9pm | 18+ | Apply by 19th Jan 2024
Tuesday evenings 23 January–27 February 2024
7-9pm | 18+ | Apply by 19th Jan 2024
Workshops and Courses:
Recent teaching includes with BBC, Soho Theatre (Sketch Lab), All in Actors, Southwark Libraries, GirlGuiding UK, Hoopla, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Stanley Arts, TEDx University of Edinburgh, NDT Broadgate and regularly with PillowTalk Theatre
Workshops and courses include; introduction to improvisation, introduction to clowning, ensemble theatre, devising theatre, mask theatre and Commedia dell'Arte, public speaking, Shakespeare, acting for camera, selftape masterclass and others.
International Teaching:
Visiting professor across the USA at universities including Rice University (Texas), John Carroll University (Ohio), Kansas State University, University of North Alabama, University of Notre Dame (Indiana), Brigham Young University (Utah).
Full day clowning masterclass (co-led with Lorna Rose Treen) at Q-Factor Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
1-2-1 Coaching:
Actors - individual coaching for drama school auditions, theatre/tv auditions, and support through a specific production.
Comedians - individual coaching for 5,10 or 20 minute sets, as well as consultation on full shows. Focus on structure, stage presence and performance, joke writing, character and audience interaction.
Drama Clubs for adults and young people:
Weekly Theatre and Improvisation sessions for the BBC Drama Club.
Activ8 (Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Youth Theatre)
Troupers (sessions for under 18 year olds across London)
DBS check