This month, Jack Holden’s new show KENREX will open at Southwark Playhouse Borough, with Jack performing as multiple characters for the run from 14th February to 15th March. KENREX premiered in Sheffield last year, and Jack co-wrote the play with Ed Stambollouian, who also directed, with the music by John Patrick Elliott, who he previously worked with for his debut play Cruise. In summer 2021, Jack’s play Cruise premiered at the Duchess Theatre in the West End, followed by a sold-out run at the Apollo Theatre in 2022 and a regional premiere the next year at HOME Manchester, and Jack performed in the one-man show, and the play was nominated for Best New Play at the 2022 Olivier Awards. Further projects for Jack include being in the cast of the European premiere for Sons of the Prophet at the Hampstead Theatre, and on screen, he played Adam in the BBC One drama Marriage alongside Sean Bean, Nicola Walker and Chantelle Alle, and Kevin Barnes in Ten Percent for Amazon Prime Video. We found out from Jack about the upcoming run of KENREX at Southwark Playhouse Borough, his debut play Cruise and being in the cast of the BBC One drama Marriage.
Can you tell us about your new show KENREX – which is opening at Southwark Playhouse Borough on 14th February, and who do you think it will appeal to?
KENREX is a true crime thriller, telling the totally wild but utterly true story of Ken Rex McElroy’s reign of terror over the small town of Skidmore, Missouri, and his eventual downfall at the hands of the long-suffering townspeople. It’s a gritty, funny, fast-paced show, melding elements of true crime, Western, action and cabaret, and full of foot-stomping Americana music from John Patrick Elliott. It’ll appeal to anyone who likes a mystery, fans of true crime podcasts and TV shows, and anyone who wants to take a midwinter trip to backwater America…
As a one-person show, you will be performing as numerous characters, how would you describe the main characters and what do you enjoy most about multi-rolling?
The main characters are the townsfolk of Skidmore, Missouri. They’re presented as good, honest, hardworking people, who are plagued by a monster of a man. However, the thrill of the show is that we reveal the darker side to these small town folk, exploring what makes them individually decide to take the law into their own hands. I love the trust I have to put into the audience when I’m multi-rolling – with just a slight change of posture and voice quality I am telling the audience that I’ve become someone else. By suspending their disbelief, the audience are drawn into the conceit, and become totally immersed in the story.
How was it performing the show in Sheffield last year and seeing the response to the world premiere?
Sheffield Theatres was a brilliant place to start the show. There’s such a strong theatre-going crowd in that city, and they really showed up for KENREX. Lots of people came up to me after the show and said it was one of the best things they’ve ever seen in their theatre – high praise indeed! We’re thrilled to be bringing the exact same show to London audiences, who I hope will love it just as much.
How did the idea for KENREX come about and how long was it in the making?
Co-creator Ed Stambollouian and I started working on KENREX several years ago. We love true crime podcasts and TV shows, and we wanted to see if the form would work on stage. We looked around for gripping, unsolved true stories, and this one struck us as perfect. The show has been through much development, and several different iterations – but we’ve finally struck on the version which combines great storytelling with eye-popping staging.
What was it like co-writing the show with Ed Stambollouian and having him direct?
Ed and I were at drama school together, so we’ve been great friends for a long time now. He directed me in the best show I did during my training (Annie Baker’s The Aliens), and then he directed me in the world premiere of Rob Hayes’ Awkward Conversations With Animals I’ve F*cked in Edinburgh in 2014. It’s been a joy to work together again properly on KENREX, but the biggest challenge for us both has been strictly deciding when we’re co-writers, and when we’re director and actor. We had to be disciplined with that in rehearsals so that we didn’t lose our minds!
How was it hearing John Patrick Elliott’s music for KENREX for the first time and how has it been working with him again, having worked with him on your debut play Cruise?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: John’s a genius. He can interpret scenes so well, his taste is brilliant, and he’s a lovely man. The thumping beats he brought to my debut, Cruise, drove the play forwards and towards an enormous, roof-shaking finale. For KENREX, John has hit the bullseye again: the songs, incidental music, atmospheric drones and tones are all so good. Incidentally, John’s music from the show is available on Spotify and Bandcamp right now!
How did you find the experience having Cruise premiere at the Duchess Theatre in the West End in summer 2021, before going on to have a second sold-out run in summer 2022 at the Apollo Theatre, and a regional premiere at HOME Manchester in summer 2023?
Cruise was a mind-blowing experience. It landed at just the right time: theatres needed small shows to put on their stages to open safely just after COVID, and audiences were absolutely desperate to get out of their houses for some entertainment. As if the first run at the Duchess wasn’t enough, returning to the Apollo Theatre was even better – stepping out on stage in front of 800 punters, who’ve come to see my show… nothing beats it! And then getting to take the show to HOME was so much fun; Manchester audiences loved the show, and I couldn’t walk down Canal Street without being spotted!
Where did the inspiration come from to write Cruise and what was the script like to work on?
Cruise was based on a true story I heard when volunteering for Switchboard, the LGBTQ+ helpline. A guy told me how he’d contracted HIV in the early 80s when no effective medication existed to fight the disease – so it was a virtual death sentence. But this guy decided to dance in defiance of his diagnosis, selling his flat, burning through his money and partying until he dropped. However, he got lucky and survived until treatment came along – and he got another shot at life. It struck me as such a bittersweet story, I knew I had to tell it one day. And so, during the first lockdown of 2020, I started typing…
What are some of your favourite highlights from performing in Cruise, and how was it having the show be nominated for Best New Play at the 2022 Olivier Awards?
My top memory of performing Cruise was when I would get stopped at stage door by men who had lived through the AIDS crisis and who had stories just like the main character’s. They were moved to have seen their experiences brought to such a big stage, and they thanked me for keeping their stories alive. The nomination for Best New Play at the Oliviers was a huge surprise, but a wonderful validation of my and the whole creative team’s hard work.
You were in the cast of the European premiere of Sons of the Prophet at Hampstead Theatre as Timothy, how was this?
I loved that play, getting to work with a brilliant cast, making my debut at Hampstead, and being directed by Bijan Sheibani. Steven Karam’s writing is so gorgeous, so delicate and truthful. And I got to play a smarmy, arrogant and duplicitous Ivy League American, which was a lot of fun!
On screen, you played Adam in the BBC One drama series Marriage alongside Sean Bean, Nicola Walker and Chantelle Alle, how was it getting into character and being part of the series?
This character was also a bit of a nasty one, which was super fun again! Getting to work with Sean and Nicola was a dream come true really. And Chantelle Alle was extraordinary in that show – and just the best person to hang out with on set.
What was it like playing Kevin Barnes in Ten Percent for Amazon Prime Video?
Okay, there’s a theme here – Kevin was also a bit of a baddie! This was such a fun show to work on, even though I had to be fake tanned every day. John Morton, who was the showrunner, is one of my heroes: 2012 and W1A are some of my favourite comedies.
Can you tell us about some of the other acting projects you’ve been involved with over your career so far, which have included the UK Tour of My Cousin Rachel as Phillip Ashley, the world premiere of Ink as Beverley and Christopher Timothy, What the Butler Saw as Nicholas Beckett, Oppenheimer as Robert Wilson and the 2017 feature film Journey’s End as Private Turner?
I’ve been very lucky to work in some of the best theatres across the country, in plays new and old, with the odd TV and film job along the way. There’s been so much variety in my career so far, and that was all I ever wanted when I left drama school. There have been periods of unemployment here and there (some of them very long!), but I’ve always been driven to make, make, make. That’s really why I started writing in earnest – because I didn’t want to wait for the phone to ring. Making my own work has changed my life in so many ways.
Where does your love of acting and writing come from and how did you get into both?
I was obsessed with two things when I was a kid: Jim Carrey, and Wallace & Gromit. I would spend hours standing in front of the mirror pulling all of Jim Carrey’s faces, and mimicking all his silly voices. And the storytelling that Aardman use in their films is masterful. So I guess that’s where I was first inspired to perform and write. I also maintain that Chicken Run is the best film ever made. It is literally perfect.
How do you like to spend your free time, and do you have any favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch?
Free time is always a bit of a strange concept as a freelancer, isn’t it? There’s always a script I can be tinkering with, and I love what I do, so it doesn’t feel like work. But I also love watching new theatre and films. Favourite recent films have been Anora, Conclave… and the new Wallace & Gromit, obviously!
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