Jonathan Laikewood

Jonathan trained as an actor at East 15 Acting School and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where he gained an MA in Actor Training and Coaching.

As an actor, Jonathan has enjoyed touring Shakespeare, appearing in the odd film and creating theatre with Soho6 punk theatre company, Caligula’s Alibi. He played Danny Kawalski in the 1950s rock ’n’ roll band Frankie & the Bozboys, who enjoyed a stint as the resident band at the Old Vic Theatre and performed at prestigious venues across London, including Soho Theatre and the Duke of York’s Theatre. Jonathan was also the bassist in the professional touring pop-rock band Chapter and Verse.

Jonathan’s research and practice focus on working with actors to reduce self-consciousness and nurture the confidence they need to engage with performance authentically, openly and wholeheartedly.

He is currently undertaking a PhD at East 15 Acting School, University of Essex, exploring actor training in relation to the experiences of 'the anxious generation'. His practice-based research considers how actor-training methodologies might be reimagined to support anxious performers while retaining the rigour, risk and creative vulnerability at the heart of meaningful actor training.

Jonathan has taught and directed at East 15 Acting School, the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Bird College and the University of Northampton. He is now delighted to be heading up Acting at Performers College.