writing 

Jonathan writes for live and recorded media. He's created two solo live storytelling shows; One Way Mirror (2023) and I Just Want Someone To Know I Was Here (2019). He received a ScreenSkills Bursary to study Story for Screenwriting: Advanced Structure with John Yorke in 2021. His writing has been shortlisted for BBC Interconnected Commission and he won the John Thaw Initiative Graduates Award for his 2019 show. He was an Artist 'out of' Residence in 2020 with SPUDworks in The New Forest, creating a community Lockdown Cookbook. In 2024, he is writing a 4 part comedy series for the BBC called "Time of the Week". 

Live shows:

One Way Mirror (2023)

One Way Mirror is an interactive story about the art of people watching, built for extroverts, introverts and everyone in-between.
Is people watching your guilty pleasure? 

Do you ever get the feeling you’re being watched?

If either of the above rings true, this show is for you.

Come and join the ritual as we re-create the true story of a man living with a one way mirror in his living room.


Made with support from: Theatre Royal Stratford East, Rich Mix, Elevate East, Pleasance Theatre and Interactive Soup Fund

Camden People Theatre SPRINT Festival
Wednesday 22nd March 2023 9pm (Work in Progress)

Pleasance Downstairs New Work Festival
Thursday 29th June - Saturday 1st July 2023 8.45pm 

Camden People Theatre Autumn Season
Friday 29th September - Saturday 30th September 2023 9pm

Soho Rising Festival at Soho Theatre
Saturday 17th Febraury 2024 8.45pm 


I Just want someone to know i was here (2019)

It’s 1901. Off the coast of a Greek fishing island a group of deep sea sponge divers stumble across a shipwreck and find a small, soggy, wooden box.

A few years ago my uncle told me a story. I became obsessed with it and couldn't work out why. I figured the best thing to do was to tell the story to other people. Expect to hear some big ideas (like memory and legacy and death) and some small ideas (like socks and plates and why my mum sits weirdly on the sofa).


A new storytelling theatre piece. Rooted in the story, loss and discovery of the Antikythera mechanism, ‘I just want someone to know I was here’ is a meditation on loss and legacy.


Directed by Mel Frances

Tobacco Factory  Theatres: SPARK Festival
May 2019 (Work in Progress)

The Actors Centre, John Thaw Studio  (WINNER of John Thaw Initiative)
25th - 27th July 2019

Edinburgh Fringe, A Play A Pie and A PInt @ McSorleys
12th-16th August 2019 1pm

other writing:

Get The Chaperone App Sketch (2022)

Are Victorian values about to make a return? With a dash of added of modern technology? How about downloading the latest must-have App? The Chaperone App! Worried that your date has wandering hands and unwelcome intentions? Well order a chaperone, in a flash, on your phone. Plenty of Five Star chaperones available at a moment’s notice.

The Chaperone App - trending now!

Pulped With Bits | Get The Chaperone App  | Comedy | Get Pulped

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XxPNe00de4

Dogsitting (2021)

Tensions are high when ex-friends Leo and Frankie are accidentally reunited at a dog-sitting. As the pair descend into intoxication, the dog takes matters into its own paws.


A new comedy from Jonathan Oldfield, Lorna Rose Treen and Pedro Leandro.


Directed by Evan Lordan. 


A co-production by Conflicted Theatre and PillowTalk Theatre.


Golden Goose Theatre Emerge Season 7-9th December 2021

Using dried eggs: the lockdown cookbook (2020)

SPUDworks Artist out of Residence 2020


In the midst of the mayhem of the pandemic, I was reminded of my great grandmother’s cookbook, which she hand wrote before, during, and after the Second World War, and sits on the bookshelves of my parents’ house. Gladys Mabel Beard began her recipe collection almost 90 years ago. The book is filled with found recipes from friends, from magazines, the wireless, her mother and even one person she met whilst in hospital. It’s a time capsule of a nation stuck indoors, with minimal supermarket options, and the stories of the food they ate. As we find ourselves apart from each other, and scrambling for eggs and flour in the shops, I want to collect and collate the lockdown recipes of today, as well as inspire a new generation of cooks. Creating new stories with old favourites. The final recipe book will be available for all of Sway and the New Forest at spudWORKS to use, and continue to build, once the Artist Residency has finished.

 

The title “Using Dried Eggs” comes from a scribbled note found in a recipe dated the 16th August 1942, as wartime rationing forced necessary alterations to Gladys’ culinary experiments. Whether you’re 8 or 98, I’m interested in collecting your favourite foods, not just as a time capsule, but as an opportunity to come together and connect with others. Either digitally, or via handwritten communication I can’t wait to explore the recipes and stories of Sway and the New Forest'.  Jonathan Oldfield, June 2020


More information about the project https://www.spud.org.uk/artistoutofresidence

Driving with eileen (2020)

Some people can work from home easily. But not if you’re a driving instructor! Join Paulie as he tries to mirror-signal-maneuvre his way through a remote driving lesson with eccentric driving instructor Eileen! An online Zoom play. Shortlisted for BBC Interconnected Commision and produced by Disentangle Projects. 

Written by Lorna Rose Treen and Jonathan Oldfield
Starring Sarah Somerville and Lanre Danmola
Directed by Tom Brocklehurst
Technical Production by Galina Rin Produced by Disentangle Projects

Officially premiered online Friday 17th July 2020