A high-octane, spit-and-sawdust ride through the American Midwest.
Actor, producer and writer Jack Holden has had theatre in his veins since he was young, so there was no overnight success for him just hard work put in over the years with solid performances that attracted the right attention. I first saw him in Cruise, an Olivier Award-nominated play that he wrote and starred in. I was mesmerised. Plus, he is always the stand-out act when you see him on TV, writes Michael Holland.
Now Jack is bringing KENREX back to London after great runs in Sheffield and Southwark Playhouse – a play that has already won him a prestigious award – and he wants to tell us about it.
But first…
When did you realise you wanted to act?
I was always trying to entertain my parents when I was a kid – something to do with being the middle of five boys! Then I got involved with drama clubs during secondary school. But things really kicked off for me when I heard about Drama Schools — I couldn’t believe there were places I could go and study acting. So, off I went to Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where the likes of Olivia Coleman, Patrick Stewart and Daniel Day-Lewis all trained.
How did you get to make it on to stage and screen?
After drama school, I was lucky enough to sign with one of the biggest agents in the country. They started sending me to auditions all over London, and I hit the jackpot very early on: I was cast as Albert in the National Theatre’s production of War Horse in the West End. I performed in that for a year, which set me up for a career on the stage. Along the way, I acted in the odd bit of TV and film, then landed some bigger roles in Ten Percent on Amazon, and Marriage on BBC One in recent years.
Do you prefer stage or screen?
Theatre is absolutely my first love, and I will always be making theatre as a writer, actor and producer. But film also inspires and excites me. The feeling of being on a film set is like nothing else. And watching a film you’re in on the big screen is a mind-blowing experience. So I haven’t answered your question… if I had to choose, I’d always come back to theatre!
Is there one role that you feel was a kickstart to your career?
There are a lot of rungs on the ladder of success. War Horse was the first rung, but then my first season at the Royal Shakespeare Company was also an important one. Then performing in James Graham’s play ‘Ink’ at the Almeida Theatre and in the West End was another big moment. You never really know where your next job is coming from, and you have very little control over your career as an actor — that’s what made me start writing a few years ago, and now writing makes up as much of my career as acting does.
Is there someone who you feel has inspired you more than anyone else in your career?
Well I have to give thanks to my English and Drama teacher, Kathleen Lynch, who always encouraged me to pursue a life on the stage. My all time acting hero, however, has to be the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman. He was mesmerising in every role he performed. He also ran a theatre company in New York, and he directed work too. I always admire creatives who do more than one thing; people like Phoebe Waller Bridge and Mark Gatiss.
And you’ve just picked up an award.
Yes! I was honoured to win the UK Theatre Award for Best Performance in a Play for my performance in KENREX. It was good timing as we’re bringing the show back to London. To get recognition for your work is always nice, but particularly for this show, which I co-wrote with director Ed Stambollouian. We’ve been working on this idea for many years, so to receive good reviews and to win awards is a huge reward.
Tell me about your characters?
In KENREX I play some 20 characters, almost all of them from the small Missouri town of Skidmore. It’s a true story, and most of the characters were real people, but I’ve had to embellish and exaggerate them to make sure the audience always know who I am at any point. To differentiate between the characters, I change the pitch, quality and tone of my voice, but I also make clear physical choices too. I’m also assisted by an incredibly complex sound design, full of all sorts of audio trickery, courtesy of our genius sound designer Giles Thomas.
Will Kenrex change when you get to The Other Palace?
This is the third outing for KENREX and this time it’s going to be bigger, brighter and louder than ever before! The Other Palace is a brilliant, modern theatre, with an excellent sound system, so I’m super excited to amp up the production and give audiences one hell of a ride.
What’s next for you after this?
I’ve got several commissions as a writer which I’ll have to catch up on, but we’re also hoping KENREX has a future life beyond London.
Anything you’d like to add?
KENREX is a high-octane, spit-and-sawdust thrill ride through the American Midwest. Fuelled by a foot-stomping Americana soundtrack from John Patrick Elliott, it’s part gig, part true crime podcast — and an unmissable night out for theatre-lovers and sceptics alike.
The Other Palace, 12 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5JA from 3rd December 2025 – 1st February 2026.
Booking and full details: https://theotherpalace.co.uk/kenrex/
