John Travers

Michael O’Dwyer, of the Irish Times, commented on his great screen presence: John Travers. From growing up in the 1990s in North Belfast to becoming a well established and extremely humble Northern Irish actor.

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John Travers had previously set his goals in boxing, and was a very promising young fighter, winning various junior titles around the Ulster province and Ireland. It was there that he was subsequently cast in a big budget feature film that would change the course of his life. From that role he has never looked back.

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From winning Best Actor at the Cherbourg Film Festival in 2003 for Aisling Walsh’s incredible Song for a Raggy Boy (the feature film played Sundance, Seattle, Tribeca, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, Karlovy Vary, Cork, Ghent, Lyubyana, Bergen, Gothenberg, Copenhagen, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Belfast and Salerno festivals to brilliant effect, picking up eighteen awards and bringing massive praise to John), in his very first acting role, as his profile grew John was being sent for and winning roles in feature films and commercials. In the Adidas campaign for MJZ, shot in St. Albans by Fredrik Bond, John was cast opposite several world class footballers including Jermaine Defoe, Del Piero, Djibril Cisse, Ashley Cole and David Trezeguet.

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Since then, John’s film and television resume rapidly expanded to include Closing the Ring (directed by Lord Richard Attenborough), Peacefire, Belfast Stories, Good Vibrations, Fishbowl City, Shooting for Socrates, and Nightride, amongst many others. Most recently, he has appeared in productions including Housejackers and Flags and Emblems.

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John also has an impressive theatre resume. Embarking on his theatre career, he quickly gained repertoire within the Irish theatre circle, winning yet more appraisal for his stage craft in such plays as The Jonny Miester and Stitch, Basra Boy, and Tartan, to name a few. He especially gained much notability for his energetic performance in one man shows, where he would dominate the entire stage by himself for sometimes well over an hour. Over the past year he has appeared in the critically acclaimed Under the Lights, Me Oul Segocia, and The Belfast Ma.

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Critic Reviews

Under the Lights: Theatre 2025
‘Travers’ performance which is a tour de force!’
Jane Hardy – The Irish Times

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Me Oul Segocia: Theatre 2024
‘A wonderful evening was had in the sanctuary Theatre venue with this piece. Three actors stood out for me: John Travers, Ruairi Conaghan & Andrew McCracken. Tears were shed in an awesome second half.’
@Carvillidominic

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Mojo Mickeybo: Theatre 2023
‘Stellar performances from two wonderful actors, the way they skip from various characters in a heartbeat is a joy to behold.’
Dominic Carville reviews

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Billy Boy: Theatre 2021-22 Edinburgh Fringe
‘Billy Boy, which was performed in the Strand Arts Centre this weekend as part of EastSide Arts Festival, director Matthew Faris and actor John Travers elevate some of the word play into performance poetry, adding real rhythm and stacks of energy to the prose.’
‘Travers slips in and out of other characters, with the script rarely allowing the pace to drop. His head tilts, he speaks out of the side of his mouth, his hands and arms gesticulate, he squats, he stretches, all creating a sense of verve.’
‘Travers develops Aaron’s character into less of a big lad, more reflective, nearly lonely in his isolation in Amsterdam.’
‘Helping the talented Travers convey the frenzied emotion of the bonfire subculture is Marty Byrne’s soundscape with a rumbling bass.’
@alaninbelfast Alan Meban 2021

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‘John Travers’ acting was a real tour de force. He peopled the stage with characters, including his East Belfast Mammy and male mates, brilliant Dino and Jamesy, and even female fans like Kerry Lee.’

The Irish News, Jane Hardy, 2021

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Vivarium: Theatre 2018 Edinburgh Fringe
‘The play’s dark tone is broken by humour but it is an intense experience, worth seeing for Travers’ powerful performance.’

Mark Ludmon, BritishTheatre.com

‘This beautifully written solo show from @BruisedSky explores the impact of Belfast’s Troubles on successive generations. @JohnTravers636 is superb, delivering a riveting narrative that is likely to induce both laughter and tears. Highly recommended.’ FringeBiscuit

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‘A gloomy tale set on a council estate in Northern Ireland of an ex-con dad who reaches out to his mouthy young son (both impressively portrayed by Travers). Travers is confident and commanding in his technically detailed performance.’

Jet Freddie Green BroadwayBaby

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‘Vivarium is magnificently brought to life by Travers who divides his time between both halves of the stage, taking on two distinct personas. The actor’s sharp delivery of this sombre piece is remarkable. Overall, Vivarium is heavy and stunning. Travers pours his heart out on stage, delivering this very difficult piece of theatre. It is well written, well directed and exceptionally well performed.’
‘The Student,’ Meg Edwards, 2018

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We’ll Walk Hand In Hand: Theatre 2018
‘Both lead actors are very expressive and do not fail to project their characters’ written trajectory.’

John Graham literature, visual art architecture

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‘John Travers could have played a very bland Vincent that was all principle and no play. Instead he injects the character with brio and a cheeky impudence that heighten the impact of his disappointing discoveries when he travels forward in time.’