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As a young actor Jonathan Holloway visited the 1972 Edinburgh Fringe in a show by African playwright Wole Soyinka, saw live work by Steven Berkoff, Lindsay Kemp and Jerzy Grotowski, and himself began making theatre in the early 1980’s. He is a prolific unconventional director, writer and lighting designer, and has written copiously for the BBC. Jonathan co-founded ACE funded Red Shift Theatre Co which toured extensively for 25 years. He ran an Edinburgh Fringe venue 1983-1987, won many awards and his company was profiled on BBC2’s Late Show.
Jonathan is currently researching for a play about the early British film industry and writing an original drama for Brighton based Sweet Talk Productions. In March 2023 he directed his own stage version of Charles Dickens’ The Signalman for Creation Theatre which enjoyed an extended run. In March/April 2023 Chung Ying Theatre Company re-mounted his modern version of Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities in Cantonese at Hong Kong’s Kowloon Cultural Centre, recreating his 2016 production. He and actor-musician Liam Grundy appear on the podcast ‘Walking Out’ on Podbean, Spotify and Amazon Music. Jonathan adapted Dickens’ The Signalman for BBC radio b’cast on Christmas Day 2022. (“Pick of the Day” – The Times. “one of the best audios of this year. 10/10” – Sci-Fi Bulletin. “Jonathan Holloway’s dramatisation ticks all the right boxes” – Radio Times Review) He wrote a modern adaptation of Gaslight – the play by Patrick Hamilton which defined domestic coercive control (now available as a podcast on BBC SOUNDS) – for Johnny Vegas’ Woolyback Productions with original music by Imelda May. It was first b’cast in February 2023. His spectral dramas No Conferring and The Affair at Grover Station are available online. All ten 60′ episodes of Jonathan’s BBC adaptation of CP Snow’s ‘Strangers and Brothers’ and his Orwell season (inc the Prix Italia winning 1984) are available on Audible.
Jonathan has 40 years of professional writing and direction behind him. He managed an Edinburgh Fringe venue and performed in, directed, lit and wrote shows for 24 Edinburgh Festivals where he won three consecutive Scotsman Edinburgh Fringe First Awards. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA); won for the BBC a First Prize at the Prix Italia; is an Honorary Fellow of St Mary’s University College; won several Charrington London Fringe Awards, a Stage Edinburgh Festival Award, the Shakespeare Prize at The World Festival of Theatre in Chile and a UK DCMS Business in the Arts Award. He was Associate Artist at Kingston University and Associate Artist at Central School of Speech and Drama’s Centre for Excellence in Theatre Training. He served for three years on the Board of the Edinburgh Fringe and also for three years on the Participant’s Council. He was a member of the Advisory panel of the National Campaign for the Arts. “99.9% pure theatrical magic” – Time Out Magazine “Jonathan Holloway: pure art extract” – Sunday Times. An example of outstanding press interest was Jess Edwards‘ production of Jonathan’s reivention of ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ produced by Francesca Moody at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival : ★★★★ – The Times: ★★★★★ – British Theatre Guide: ★★★★ – Three Weeks: ★★★★ – Broadway Baby: ★★★★★ – Views from the Gods: ★★★★ – Everything Theatre.
Jonathan is represented by Rachel Daniels at Berlin Associates, London, England.

A Tale of Two Cities : Blood For Blood
Jonathan has written 73 playscripts for BBC Radio Drama and SOUNDS, 33 professionally produced stage plays and directed 86 stage shows for the UK, HK, USA, Chile, Eire and Egypt. A list can be found here: ‘CV‘.
Jonathan’s earlier work from 1977 onwards can be referenced from his CV.
2023: The Signalman (live)
In February/March 2023 Jonathan directed and lit this live site specific production for Oxford’s Creation Theatre Company. It repeatedly sold-out and the run was extended. “it feels like theatre is back doing what it does best” – Daily Info, Oxford
2023: Gaslight
A new updated version of the play by Patrick Hamilton which brought the word ‘gaslighting’ into the vernacular. Written for Johnny Vegas’ Woolyback Productions for b’cast on BBC R4 and SOUNDS. “Holloway’s modern adaptation is set in the present, with a deliciously…
2022: The Signalman
Writer. An audio experience adapted from the short story by Charles Dickens. B’cast on BBC R4 on Christmas Day 2022. Starred James Purefoy and Samuel West. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001ghw9
2021: During the Pandemic
In May Jonathan contributed to the Pleasance/Vault Festival’s Fringe Futures event with his workshop on ‘building an ad-hoc company into a viable business’.
2020: THE TIME MACHINE on the Eve of the Pandemic
Jonathan was commissioned by Creation Theatre Company to create a contemporary re-imagining of H G Well’s THE TIME MACHINE written to be a site specific performance at the London Library and the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford.
2019: Don Quixote
Adapted and Directed by Jonathan Holloway. Site specific production for Creation Theatre, Oxford.
2017: 1984
Adapted and Directed by Jonathan Holloway Site specific production for Creation Theatre, Oxford
2016: A Tale of Two Cities
Adapted and directed by Jonathan Holloway Chung Ying Theatre Company, Hong Kong and Edinburgh Festival.
2018: Brave New World
Adapted and Directed by Jonathan Holloway Site specific production for Creation Theatre, Oxford.
2015: Jekyll and Hyde
Adapted and Directed by Jonathan Holloway Chung Ying Theatre Company, Hong Kong and London
2014: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
Adapted by Jonathan Holloway BBC Radio 4, Radio 4Extra, Sounds.
Selected Work: Freelance
Writing for the BBC included THE LURE & SIN two original semi-biographical dramas for the Arthur Miller centenary
2009-10: The Fall of Man
Script Jonathan Holloway and John Milton Direction Graeme Rose & Jonathan Holloway Music and Sound Design Sarah Llewellyn
2007-08: Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing is one of the best loved ‘comedies’ of the classic repertoire.
2006-07: Vertigo
By Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac Adapted & directed by Jonathan Holloway Designed by Neil Irish Music by Jon Nicholls
2005-06: Get Carter
By Ted Lewis Adapted & Directed by Jonathan Holloway Designed by Neil Irish Music arranged by Jon Nicholls
2004-05: The Third Man
dapted & Directed by Jonathan Holloway Designed by Neil Irish Music composed by Ross Brown
2004: Bartleby: A Story of Wall Street
Adapted by R.L. Lane from the novella by Herman Melville Directed by Jonathan Holloway Designed by Neil Irish Music composed by Ross Brown
2003: The Legend of King Arthur
Adapted and Directed by Jonathan Holloway Choreographed by Paul Sadot of Urban Expansions & Capoeira Norte Designed by Neil Irish Music by Jon Nicholls
2002: The Love Child
Adapted by Lavinia Murray Directed by Jonathan Holloway Designed by Neil Irish Music by Jon Nicholls
2001-02: Nicholas Nickleby
By Charles Dickens Adapted and Directed by Jonathan Holloway Designed by Neil Irish Music by Jon Nicholl
2001: The Man Who Was Thursday
Adapted by Jonathan Holloway Guest Directed by Ben Harrison Designed by Neil Irish Music by Philip Pinsky
2000: Nosferatu The Visitor
Based loosely on Bram Stoker’s Dracula Written & Directed by Jonathan Holloway Designed by Jamie Vartan Music by Jon Nicholls
1999-2000: Hamlet: first cut
Directed by Jonathan Holloway Designed by Neil Irish Music by Jon Nicholls
1998: The Aspern Papers
By Henry James Adapted and Directed by Jonathan Holloway Designed by Neil Irish Music by Paul Clark
1997: Les Miserables
By Victor Hugo Adapted and Directed by Jonathan Holloway Designed by Neil Irish Music by Paul Clark