Reviews & Testimonials
King John, New York City, September 2025
“But perhaps the actor who caught my eye the most was Martin Challinor who played both Cardinal Pandulph and the character of Hubert.
Martin Challinor was able to transform from the slimy, sinister Cardinal into the scared knight unable to bring himself to actual harm Arthur. And most impressively, he seems to do this with ease”
“The story of the internal familial machinations over who is the rightful heir is complicated by the intrusion of the Roman Catholic pope through the offices of his legate, Cardinal Pandulph (Martin Challinor). The cardinal manipulates the two kings into conflicts that are then resolved by his intercession, all in the service of the Pope’s political ambitions.
Challinor is charged in this production with playing two pivotal characters, the other being Hubert, a knight and supporter of King John. He will be the one charged by King John to dispose of Arthur, a task he ultimately is unwilling to complete. Challinor is effective in embodying the two very different characters, but more importantly, he is one of the few in the ensemble with a solid grasp of blank verse.”
“Of course, no staging of King John can avoid the shadow of the Catholic Church, and here the production excels. Martin Challinor’s Cardinal Pandulph is the puppet master par excellence, delivered with chilling restraint and serpentine calculation. The Church, as embodied by him, is less spiritual beacon than power broker, ensuring that no crown sits comfortably atop any sovereign head. His manipulation of France and England into renewed conflict, just as peace seems possible, is Machiavellian theater at its finest.
In this ambitious staging, Challinor is entrusted with the formidable task of inhabiting not one, but two crucially divergent roles—an undertaking that demands both technical dexterity and emotional nuance. In addition to his primary portrayal, he dons the mantle of Hubert, the conflicted knight whose loyalty to King John is tested in the most harrowing of moral crucibles. It is Hubert, after all, to whom the monarch entrusts the chilling command: to rid the realm of the young Arthur, a deed that Hubert, to his credit—or perhaps to his torment—is ultimately unable to carry out. Challinor navigates this duality with remarkable finesse, delineating each character with clarity and purpose. What is perhaps most commendable, however, is his deft command of the play’s linguistic architecture. In a production where the demands of blank verse often prove too steep a climb for much of the ensemble, Challinor stands out as one of the rare few who not only comprehends the rhythm and weight of Shakespeare’s meter, but who also employs it in service of character and story. His articulation, grounded and resonant, lends the verse a muscularity and grace that elevate his performance and, indeed, the entire production.”
The Tempest, New York City, September 2024
“Strong performances by the production’s Antonio (Martin Challinor) and Sebastian (Meg Gwyn) showcase the genuine challenge they present in their plots to overthrow their siblings”
“Challinor does a fantastic job in his performance as Billy, an everyday man so overtly thrown into the fire when a purely accidental moment upends his life with harsh intent. Watching from the moment Billy learns he’s contracted ZNP, to the unnerved state of being he exudes while being tested and somewhat generically “encouraged” by public health officials, to the jarring emotional strife he faces when being bullied at work, spurned at home, and left with no sense of optimism, it’s a rollercoaster ride that almost leads him to end it all until the right instance comes along and saves the day. The relief Billy feels when having actual certainty he isn’t friendless or abandoned is deeply sincere, and Challinor channels all of this raw sentiment very, very well. “
Positive Result | Kirk Fernwood, One Film Fan
“From day 1 Martin was a pleasure to work with. He arrived on set with a clear understanding of the script, and of his character, and with a genuine desire to develop the character and bring depth and reality to the role. He wasn't afraid to ask questions, and explore some of the unwritten story behind and around the character, using this to inform the decision he was making as the character in his scenes. This wasn't a pretentious exercise, but an authentic process of discovery as we discussed and agreed new aspects of the character's life and personality. As well as his technical skills and acting ability, he was also a great cast member to have on set, and was great fun to have around between takes. I honestly can't recommend Martin highly enough.”
Alasdair McWilliams, Director, Positive Result
"Challinor is a strong lead, coping with the tumultuous character journey well especially during the heavily emotive scenes"
Positive Result | UK Film Review
"Challinor is a strong lead, coping with the tumultuous character journey well especially during the heavily emotive scenes"
Scareycrows | UK Film Review