Profiles - Jonathan Owen

                       
Jonathan was born and lives in Birmingham. He trained as a Music and Drama teacher at St. Peter’s College, Faculty of Education, Birmingham University.  After teaching in various schools and colleges, he became a full-time performer.  In the West-End he has appeared in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, CALL ME MADAM, SINGIN’ IN  THE RAIN, ZIEGFELD and HAVING A BALL.  In the provences some of his favourite roles include: ‘Pseudolus’ in A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (York), ‘The King’ in THE KING & I (Weston),  ‘Harry Roat’ in WAIT UNTIL DARK (Jersey), ‘Charles Condomine’ in BLITHE SPIRIT and ‘Mrs Swabb’ in HABEAS CORPUS  (Isle of Man).  His national tours include:  CHARLIE GIRL,  SOME LIKE IT HOT and SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, which also went to Tokyo.

His most enjoyable TV work has been CORONATION STREET for Granada TV, playing two very funny and different characters. Initially he caused mayhem as ‘The Great Orlando’, psychic hypnotist, casting his spell on Blanche, Curly, Tyrone and Les. He was then reincarnated as Weatherfield’s Vicar, ‘the Rev. Ashbourne’, who tried to make sense of  Rita, Norris, Roy and Emily whilst they were ‘high’ on cannabis, and to christen Tracy Barlow’s baby, at a very volatile Christening!

Other TV work is extensive amounting to over 60 appearances, including: ‘Peter Nuttal’, Kate O’Mara’s stepson in 26 episodes of the BBC1 soap TRIANGLE; ‘Peter Gillard’ in ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL; ‘Killer John’ in PRINCE AMONG MEN, and EXTREMELY DANGEROUS with Sean Bean. Most recent work includes: DOCTORS as ‘Bob Langford’ for the BBC; LONDON’S BURNING for LWT; Alan Bleasdale’s OLIVER TWIST (filmed in Prague with Julie Walters) for Carlton; EMMERDALE as nasty solicitor ‘Mr. Sutherland’ for YTV, and as ‘Peter Ward’, a dodgy tractor dealer, in HEARTBEAT for YTV.

On Radio he has appeared in numerous plays and serials for BBC Radio 4, but is probably best remembered as ‘Terry Barford’ in THE ARCHERS, a role he played for 10 Years.  For two years he was also the voice of ‘Uncle Offa’ for BBC Radio 4’s FARMING WEEK, which Gillian Reynolds’ of  The Telegraph chose as her ‘Pick of the year’. DOCTOR WHO fans will have heard him on the CDs THE EYE OFG THE SCORPION opposite Peter Davison, and HER FINAL FLIGHT with  Colin Baker.

Jonathan is also one of the UK’s leading experts on Pantomime; Being an established ‘Dame‘, director and author. In 1995, ‘96, ‘98 and 2000 he was resident writer and director for Bermuda’s annual Pantomimes, before dashing back to play Dame in the UK.

He is also author of the stageplay TEAPOTS AND SUPERGLUE,  a comedy-drama, which received critical acclaim at it’s premiere in  2004. 

In 2001 he joined the Examination Panel for Speech, Drama & Musical Theatre at Trinity College, London. In 2002 he toured India for three months, examining in Calcutta, Jamshedpur, Ahmedabad, Bombay and Delhi. In 2003 and 2004 he examined extensively throughout New Zealand.