Jonathan Sayer

Actor/Writer

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Photograph: Colin BoulterNeilson Reeves Photography

Acting

Assistant: Donovan Mathews
Second Assistant: Ben Powney

Film, TV & Theatre

Acting

LAMDA

Other

ProductionCharacterDirectorCompany

CABARET

Emcee

Stephen Jameson

LAMDA

CORIOLANUS

Rodney Cottier

LAMDA

A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY

Owen Meant

John Baxter

LAMDA

A GLORIOUS MUCKY BUSINESS

Neil Furness

Elizabeth Freestone

LAMDA

THE CHERRY ORCHARD

Yepikhodov

Penny Cherns

LAMDA

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

Shylock/Lorenzo

John Bashford

LAMDA

THE INNOCENT MISTRESS

Lywell

Tina Marian

LAMDA

MEDEA

James Kerr

LAMDA

THE CHANGELING

Deflores/Tomazo

Aaron Mullen

LAMDA

THE HYPOCHONDRIAC

Argan

Katie Goodwin

LAMDA

HAPPY SAVAGES

Ben

Jenny Lipman

LAMDA

Stage

ProductionCharacterDirectorCompany

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG

Mischief Theatre

OSCAR & IMPROVISER

The Scat Pack/Edinburgh Fringe

LATE NIGHT IMPRO FIGHT

The Scat Pack/Edinburgh Fringe

THE BUFFOONS

Hiatus Theatre/Edinburgh Fringe

Television

ProductionCharacterDirectorCompany

THE GOES WRONG SHOW

Dennis / Buddy Burgess / Treacle

Martin Dennis

Big Talk / BBC

A LIFE LESS ORDINARY (Pilot)

2LE Media

HOLBY CITY

Marcus

Simon Meyers

BBC

Accents - Manchester (Native), RP, Liverpool, South London, New York, Yorkshire

Voice - Tenor

Film, TV & Theatre

Jonathan trained at LAMDA where he met fellow Mischief Theatre founders Henry Shields and Henry Lewis. As company director of Mischief, he has written and starred in West End hits The Play That Goes Wrong, The Comedy About a Bank Robbery and Peter Pan Goes Wrong. 

Lights! Camera! Improvise! a devised show in which Jonathan appears with the Mischief Company has played the Edinburgh Fringe festival several times and is performed regularly in the West End as Mischief Movie NightDuring the pandemic the Jonathan and the Mischief team put on Mischief Movie Night in open air theatres before moving into Riverside Studios and performing the show in from of a live streamed audience for 4 weeks.

Co-author of The Play that Goes Wrong (which has recently celebrated its 3000th performance) and the winner for Best New Comedy at the Laurence Olivier Awards in 2016. Jonathan is also co-author of Peter Pan Goes Wrong which played in London's West End at the Apollo Theatre, London and and The Comedy About a Bank Robbery which played from 2016 until the forced shutdown due to COVID-19. The Play that Goes Wrong opened on Broadway in April 2017 at the Lyceum starring the original cast and played until 2019. Peter Pan Goes Wrong will also open in Broadway Spring 2023 for a 16 week run. 

Mischief Theatre took up residency at London’s West End Vaudeville Theatre in Autumn 2019 and two new plays ensued from the same writing team. Groan Ups which played at the Vaudeville Theatre until the pandemic shutdown, before going on a UK tour in 2021; and Magic Goes Wrongco-created with the famous magic duo Penn & Teller, which played in the Vaudeville Theatre before moving to the Apollo Theatre after the pandemic.

Mischief’s first TV series, The Goes Wrong Show, was commissioned by the BBC and had 2 series which were both met with glowing reviews. Both series are still available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

The Play That Goes Wrong is currently playing in London until October 2023, where they are occupying the nearly 100 year old Duchess Theatre in the heart of the West End. Jonathan has co-written as well as starring in the Mind Mangler: Member of the Tragic Circle which is now touring the UK as well as some dates on the West End.

Television

ProductionCompanyNotes

THE GOES WRONG SHOW
Series 2

2021

Big Talk Productions / BBC

Co-Creator & Actor

THE GOES WRONG SHOW
Series 1

2019

Big Talk Productions / BBC

Co-Creator & Actor

Theatre

ProductionCompanyNotes

MIND-MANGLER: MEMBER OF THE TRAGIC CIRCLE

2023

Mischief Theatre / UK Tour / Garrick Theatre

PETER PAN GOES WRONG

2023

Mischief Theatre / Ethel Barrymore Theatre

The 16 week Broadway run will feature the original cast as they take the hit play to the Broadway audience.

MAGIC GOES WRONG

2019 - 2021

Mischief Theatre / Vaudeville Theatre

PETER PAN GOES WRONG

2019 - 2020

Mischief Theatre / UK Tour / Alexandra Palace

Opening at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham on Saturday 19 October 2019, the production toured over 15 venues nationwide through to Spring 2020, including a Christmas season at Alexandra Palace Theatre in London from Friday 13th December 2019 to Sunday 5th January 2020.

GROAN UPS

2019 - 2021

Mischief Theatre / Vaudeville Theatre

THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY

2017 - 2020

Mischief Theatre / Criterion Theatre

Olivier Nomination for Best New Comedy 2017

PETER PAN GOES WRONG

2013 - 2017

Mischief Theatre / Kenny Wax Ltd UK Tour/Pleasance London

2016 Olivier Award Nomination for Best New Comedy
2013 Off West End Award nominations for Best Ensemble and Best Production

THE NATIVITY GOES WRONG

2013

Mischief Theatre / Reading Rep

LIGHTS! CAMERA! IMPROVISE!

2013

Pleasance Edinburgh, Soho Theatre, Arcola Theatre, Underbelly & Krakow Improfest

Actor/Improviser/Producer
Winner of The Spirit of the Fringe Award 2013

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG

2012 - 2023

Mischief & Kenny Wax Ltd UK/International Tour/West End/Broadway

2017 The Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Play (The Play That Goes Wrong – Broadway)
2017 Broadway World Award Winner for Best New Play (The Play That Goes Wrong - Broadway)
2017 Broadway.com Audience Choice Award Winner
2016 Best Commercial Production award at the Drama Critics' Awards for ‘Ma Este Megbukunk’ (The Play That Goes Wrong Hungary)
2016 Moliere Award for ‘Les Faux British’ (The Play That Goes Wrong France)
2015 Olivier Award Winner for Best New Comedy
2015 BroadwayWorld UK Winner for Best New Play
2014 WhatsOnStage Award Winner for Best New Comedy
2013 Edinburgh Six-Star Bobby Award