Jonathan Massey

Jonathan Massey is a writer from New Zealand, now based in Bristol. His punkish adaptation of Just William’s Luck, first performed with Underbelly at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, toured theatres across the UK and Europe; garnering five-star critical praise as, ‘a junkyard War-Horse… a faultless family entertainment’ (The List.)

A hands-on researcher, his short work Effin’ (set in a church belltower) was commissioned at The Norwich Arts Centre. For this, Jonathan attempted to learn ‘change ringing,’ a process that resulted in mostly rope burn, but informed the patterns and hearts of the play’s characters. Jonathan’s screenplay, a kiwi-western: The Last Hurrah of Pete and the Kūmara Cateran was honoured at the 2022 Watersprite Film Festival. He was also the 2023 recipient of The Snoo Wilson Prize for Leave a Part of Yourself Here, a play about a community-led café pushed to drastic means during the pandemic, judged by Steve Waters and HighTide.

If BOVTS has taught Jonathan anything, it’s that if a question is there, it can spark a story. Eternally curious, his next projects range from a prison art exhibition, to an expectant mother bingeing on bird faeces. He’s always eager to meet more collaborators.