Jack Holden
Actor / Writer / Producer
Photograph: Harry Livingstone
Acting
Voiceover
Film, TV & Theatre
Acting
Jack trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. His first professional role was Albert Narracott in the National Theatre’s internationally award-winning production of War Horse. Since then, he has worked with reputable directors across the country and in the West End. Notable roles include Lysander in the RSC’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Erica Whyman; Beverly Goodaway in Ink by James Graham directed by Rupert Goold at the Almeida and in the West End; and Captain Greville in The Madness of George III directed by Adam Penford at Nottingham Playhouse and for National Theatre Live.
He has worked across television, film and radio for BBC, BFI, ITV, Amazon and Channel 4. He is also represented by United Agents as a writer and producer, and by United Voices as a voice over artist.
Film
| Production | Character | Director | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
JOURNEY'S END | Bert | Saul Dibb | Lionsgate |
THE LEVELLING | James | Hope Dickson Leach | BBC iFeatures |
Television
| Production | Character | Director | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
MARRIAGE | Adam | Stefan Golaszewski | The Forge/BBC One |
TEN PERCENT S1 | Kevin Barnes | John Morton | BRON Studios/ Amazon Prime |
TRAITORS | Will Anderson | Dearbhla Walsh | Channel 4 / Twenty Twenty |
CARNAGE | James | Simon Amstell | BBC |
OUTLANDER | Lt. Hector Dalrymple | Brendan Maher | Starz/Amazon |
LEWIS (A GENERATION OF VIPERS) | Ben Newbound | David O'Neill | ITV |
NATIONAL THEATRE: 50 YEARS ON STAGE | Albert Narracott, Ensemble | Nick Hytner | National Theatre / BBC2 |
Stage
| Production | Character | Director | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
CRUISE (Second West End Run) | Writer and Performer | Bronagh Lagan | Apollo Theatre |
SONS OF THE PROPHET | Timothy | Bijan Sheibani | Hampstead Theatre |
CRUISE | Writer and Performer | Bronagh Lagan | Duchess Theatre |
MY COUSIN RACHEL | Phillip Ashley | Anthony Banks | Theatre Royal Bath and UK Tour |
THE CRUCIBLE | Reverend Hale | Jay Miller | The Yard |
THE MADNESS OF GEORGE III | Greville | Adam Penford | Nottingham Playhouse | NT Live |
INK | Beverley and Christopher Timothy | Rupert Goold | Almeida Theatre and Duke of York's |
WHAT THE BUTLER SAW | Nicholas Beckett | Nikolai Foster | Curve Leicester Theatre |
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM | Lysander | Erica Whyman | RSC |
SHE STOOPS TO CONQUOR | Hastings | Lindsay Posner | Theatre Royal Bath |
OPPENHEIMER | Robert Wilson | Angus Jackson | RSC (Vaudeville Theatre) |
OPPENHEIMER | Robert Wilson | Angus Jackson | RSC |
THE SHOEMAKER'S HOLIDAY | The King | Phillip Breen | RSC |
AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS WITH ANIMALS I'VE F*CKED | Bobby | Ed Stambollouian | Underbelly, Edinburgh |
JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN | Joe Bonham | David Mercatali | Southwark Playhouse |
MINOTAUR | Theseus | Toby Hulse | Bristol Old Vic |
FIESTA | Pedro | Al Helfrecht | Trafalgar Studios |
WAR HORSE | Albert Narracott | Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris | National Theatre |
DAVID COPPERFIELD | David Copperfield | Christopher Scott | Bristol Old Vic Theatre School |
THAT FACE | Henry | Elle While | Bristol Old Vic Theatre School |
Radio
| Production | Character | Director | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
HEART OF DARKNESS | Meuss | Jamie Lloyd | BBC Radio 4 |
HOME FRONT | Roland Pemble (Regular) | Various | BBC Radio 4 |
Film, TV & Theatre
Jack’s debut play Cruise opened at the Duchess Theatre in London’s West End in May 2021 and was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best New Play 2022. The first new play to open in the West End after the lockdown theatre closures, Cruise was a monologue written and performed by Jack, based on a true story he heard when volunteering for Switchboard, the LGBT+ listening service. Cruise returned to the Apollo Theatre for a sold-out run in Summer 2022, and it received its regional premiere at HOME Manchester in Summer 2023. A filmed version of Cruise was shown on Stream.Theatre. The play text is published by Methuen Drama.
Jack was a participant of the Royal Court Young Writers Group. He is currently a participant on Channel 4’s 4SCREENWRITING course.
As a producer, Jack has overseen the production of short films, plays and outdoor theatre tours.
Awards:
CRUISE Nominated Olivier Awards - Best New Play 2022
CRUISE Nominated The Stage Debut Awards - Best Creative West End Debut 2022
CRUISE Winner Best Recorded Show (Edited - Significant Edits) - Offies 2022
Press for CRUISE:
‘Life affirming and as searingly honest as It’s A Sin... A tour de force, the toast of the town.’ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (The Telegraph)
'Comedy and tragedy blend together in an unforgettable piece of queer history'. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Broadway World)
‘Stunningly funny, joyful and wholeheartedly life-grabbing. Holden is enchanting.’ ★ ★ ★ ★ (The Guardian)
‘Cruise achieves so much it’s tricky to decide which standout feature to rave about first.’ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Gay Times)
‘Validation of all theatre can do.’ ★ ★ ★ ★ (WhatsOnStage)
‘Holden’s narrative grabs our attention with remarkable freshness and flair… Cruise is a meaty, gloriously theatrical writing debut.’ ★ ★ ★ ★ (The Stage)
‘A sublime, beautifully written, 90-minute tour de force.’ (Sky News)
Press for KENREX:
"Nothing short of phenomenal... A brilliantly theatrical, exhilarating and terrifying evocation of chaos" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Mark Brown, Telegraph)
"Spell-binding" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Ron Simpson, WhatsOnStage)
"Astonishing... demands to be seen" ★ ★ ★ ★ (Mark Fisher, The Guardian)
"Thrilling" ★ ★ ★ ★ (Holly Williams, The Stage)
"An unforgettable theatrical experience" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (All Things Theatre)
"Oozing with creativity, ambition and undeniable talent"★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (West End Best Friend)
"A thoroughly engaging and energetic play"★ ★ ★ ★ (Northern Arts Review)
"Incredibly impressive... A gripping piece of theatre" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (The Reviews Hub)
"Absolutely phenomenal theatre" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Musical Theatre Review)
"Masterful"★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Theatre-News)
In Development
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
KENREX 2024 | Aria / Sheffield Crucible | Written and performed by Jack |
EAST END GIRLS | Independent Entertainment | Feature film in development |
DANNY LA RUE | Endor | Original series in development |
PIGS | Genial | Original Series in development |
NEVERLAND | David Adkin Ltd | New Play in development |
WHILE ENGLAND SLEEPS | Michael Grandage Company | Original series in development |
REPUBLIC | Fremantle | Original series in development |
CRUISE (Film) | Feature film adaptation of his Olivier nominated play in development | |
THE ISLE | Aria Entertainment | New play in development |
BABY FACE | Emanata Studios / Fremantle | New TV series in development |
GENERATION | Fremantle | Original series in development |
Theatre
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
CRUISE 2023 | HOME Manchester / Aria Entertainment | As Writer and Performer Published by Methuen *Nominated Olivier Awards - Best New Play 2022 *Nominated The Stage Debut Awards - Best Creative West End Debut 2022 *Winner Best Recorded Show (Edited - Significant Edits) - Offies 2022 |
CRUISE 2022 | Aria Entertainment / Lambert Jackson Productions / Apollo Theatre | As Writer and Performer |
CRUISE 2021 | Aria Entertainment / Lambert Jackson Productions / in association with Shoreditch Town Hall | As Writer and Performer |
SUNNYMEAD COURT 2020 | Defibrillator / Tristan Bates | As Producer |
THE HANDLEBARDS 2018 - 2020 | The HandleBards | As Assistant Producer |
KENREX (Rehearsed Reading) | Stockroom | Co-written with Jack’s long-term collaborator, Director Ed Stambollouian |
Short Films
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
THE REV 2021 | Watersmeet/BFI | As Producer Executive Produced by the British Film Institute |
NEAR 2019 | Watersmeet | As Producer |
BLOOD OUT OF A STONE 2018 | Watersmeet | As Producer |
Other
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
WRITERS ROOM 2023 | Joi Productions | |
WRITERS ROOM 2022 | Genial | |
UNTITLED PROJECT | RSC | Jack is currently workshopping a new play idea for the RSC |