Theatre
As Lily Gibb in Men Should Weep, National Theatre
Jayne trained at RSAMD in Glasgow (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).
Her notable appearances include War Horse (National Theatre production in the West End), Men Should Weep (National Theatre), This Happy Breed (Peter Hall Company in Bath), Tim Firth’s The Band (West End and UK tour), Macbeth (West End), King Lear (Theatr Clwyd) and Measure for Measure (European tour).
“Jayne McKenna is excellent as the graceful yet insecure Olivia”
“There is something wild and feral about Jayne McKenna’s Goneril”
As Rose Narracott in Warhorse, National Theatre in the West End
As Duckling in Our Country’s Good, Edinburgh Lyceum
As Zoe in The Band, West End and sellout UK tour
Television & Film
TV and film credits include London Road, The Rising, The Undertow, Holby City, Silent Witness, Shetland and Grace.
“Jayne was wonderful to work with and brought so much energy, intelligence and nuance to the character”
“She is a huge talent with an incredible control over her emotional range. I continue to value what I learned from her on set to this day”
Voice
Jayne has voiced numerous ad campaigns on television and radio including Johnson’s E45 cream and SEAT cars. She has also narrated documentaries including ‘How To Catch A Cat Killer’ for ITV and ‘Golden Monkeys Braving The Impossible’ – winner of Best Nature Documentary (New York Wild Festival 2023) and Best Feature Film (Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, New York 2023).
She played Audrey in the audio ‘Dr Who: The Ravagers’ with Christopher Eccleston and is the voice of Mo in the award-winning CBeebies series Tee and Mo.
“Her voice is warm and clear and she delivers the changing moods, dramas and surprises of a film brilliantly well”
“Jayne not only proved to be an incredibly inventive actor and a fantastic collaborator when it came to defining the language and character, but also an incredibly sensitive performer in defining the nuanced and loving heart of the show. We were very lucky to have her.”
Coaching
For acting and presentation coaching, or for help with self-tapes
“Jayne has helped me to prepare for a big presentation. She has been incredibly supportive and I can’t thank her enough for all the practical tips as it has helped me gain the confidence that I would deliver the talk well. Highly Recommended!”
“Without Jayne I wouldn’t have been able to get into drama school. In a time where I was doubtful of my abilities she made me feel confident and capable. I enjoyed every one of her sessions and felt myself improving in the hour I had with her. Her knowledge of speeches is immense and I was amazed at the amount of research and work she did on my speeches in between our lessons. I loved how every lesson was tailored to my weak points rather than just practicing general exercises. It is clear Jayne’s experience in acting extends to her experience in coaching. In 12 years of drama lessons I have never had a better coach. I only wish I got to spend more time with her!”
“Jayne is a fantastic voice and media coach. I have to do a lot of marketing videos and instagram lives and really didn’t know what I was doing! Jayne has taught me so much and I have asked her to come to our next day of video shoots to guide and direct me. I highly recommend her.”