Dark of the Moon

Charing Cross Theatre

“Our creative standout is Jonathan Chan’s lighting design. Weaving us through the mortal world and magical witch world effortlessly, a show like this needs an extremely talented lighting designer, and they have found that in Jonathan. Not a beat or opportunity is missed.” - James Edge - West End Best Friend

“The lighting design by Jonathan Chan is also exceptional, bathing the stage in eerie purples, shadowy silhouettes and sudden bursts of stark light that do far more heavy lifting than the script itself. At points, the production looks phenomenal. You could mute entire scenes and still understand exactly which emotional atmosphere the creative team are aiming for.” - Maygan Forbes - WhatsOnStage

“Working hand-in-hand with the rustic scenery is Jonathan Chan’s lighting design, which is a thing of absolute beauty. Chan creates a wonderful, deeply immersive atmosphere throughout the night. I adored his use of distinct purple washes for the mystical characters. It is especially clever when John the Witch Boy stands directly among the townspeople, yet remains bathed in that eerie, otherworldly purple glow to emphasise his isolation. Equally striking is when the supernatural Coven hovers menacingly above the townspeople, with the stage split into brilliant, contrasting washes of warm, earthy tones for the mortals and cold, piercing light for the spirits.” - Neill Kovacic-Clarke - Pink Prince Theatre

“Faultless lighting design with impeccable timing made the piece 'pop' giving everything almost a four-dimensional quality.” - Beyond the Curtain

“Additionally, Jonathan Chan’s lighting design excellently contributes to the mysterious and otherworldly feel of the witches. Since the witches are able to walk amongst the humans unseen, Chan uses cool blue-white lighting for the witches and warm yellow tones for the humans to differentiate between them: an effect that works very well throughout the production.” - Unmissable Theatre

“The striking lighting design by Jonathan Chan really helps to lift the production and immerse the audience. He bathes the coven in purple and blue light, whilst the townspeople are bright and cheerful – and this adds atmosphere and plenty of dramatic moments.” - Helen Featherstone - Theatre South East

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting design is particularly effective, illuminating the backdrop of the mountains and a full moon, which changes colour to reflect the mood of different scenes. It creates an ethereal, mystical, and deeply haunting setting that gives the musical its unique and alluring aesthetic.” - Shehrazade Zafar-Arif - London Box Office

“The mystical barriers between worlds were eloquently carried out by special effects and lighting from designer Jonathan Chan. The delicate, hazy blue spotlight aided the supernatural element of disguise when the two worlds collided initially. This made it clear that John “the witchboy” was veiled and invisible to Barbara Allen at first. It was a feast for the eyes, with a duality of lighting between worlds. The rural town is bathed in yellow, and a blanket of purple and blue for the coven of witches on the rooftop, closer to the moon.” - Sophie Elizabeth Morrison - A Youngish Perspective

“What generally works much better is Jonathan Chan’s lighting design. Frequent flashes in and out of blackout are used to make the witches feel as if they can move at super-high speeds – far more effective than the occasional flash-bangs used to suggest magic. There are occasions where the town’s warm colour palette is invaded by the cooler, ivy blues of the witches’ to great effect.” - Musical Theatre Review

“Jonathan Chan's lighting design becomes a crucial storytelling device, helping to distinguish the conventionally 'good' and 'bad' sides to Buck Creek, characterising the upstanding townspeople with warm tones, and the witches with more ominous ones.” - Emma Knott - Jackstage

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting design and Andrew Johnson’s sound design are used to a striking storytelling effect, heightening both the supernatural tension and emotional drama throughout” - Stuart James - London Theatre Reviews

“What brings the set to life is Jonathan Chan’s lighting which really adds dynamics and focus to the show by using eery purples and shadowy lighting. There are a few tricks and illusions which are performed well, along with clever sound effects and lighting that help add to the mystery and mythical side to the show.” - Musical Manda

Double Double

Barn Theatre

“In combination with Jonathan Chan’s zoned, ambient lighting and Mark Melville’s sound design coming together within this intimate space, this gives a tense atmospheric vibe upon entrance to the auditorium that continues to intensify throughout. The audience are lured into feeling like we are actually watching what is occurring behind closed doors.” - Claire Baker - West End Best Friend

The Firework Maker’s Daughter

Polka Theatre

“Above all, lighting designer Jonathan Chan excels himself in spectacular fashion – although it would be a crime to give the crowning effect away. Suffice to say, it’s a breathtaking climax to a shimmering show.” - Oliver Jones - The Stage

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting and Elena Peña’s sound design bring real peril. When red lights, smoke, crackling sound effects and a rumbling voiceover conjure the fire fiend, a spooked Artie suggests raising the minimum age guidance to nine” - Lucinda Everett - The Guardian

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting design deserves praise; the fireworks are rendered with such brilliance and theatrical flair that they genuinely feel like high-stage magic. The final pyrotechnic display prompts a roar of delight from children and cheers from adults—an emotional, visually breathtaking climax that resonates long after the lights come down.” - Portia Yuran Li - Spy in the Stalls

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting design also merits a special mention” - Charlie Avella - The Daily Mumtra

Even More….Ghost Stories by Candlelight

HighTide / Pentabus - East West Tour

“The staging by Lu Herbert and lighting by Jonathan Chan work together brilliantly to build an atmosphere that genuinely unsettles. The production uses darkness, sudden bursts of light, and carefully placed moments of silence to keep the audience on edge. The setting feels immersive—you're not just watching these stories unfold, you feel like you're part of them. The technical elements don't just support the storytelling; they become an essential part of it.” - London Theatre Reviews

“Staging by Lu Herbert and lighting by Jonathan Chan are used to dramatic effect, creating a genuine unsettling ambience in and around the audience. Clever use of silence and darkness, interrupted by a sudden burst of noise and bright light, are just what’s needed for the audience to jump out of their skins and, also, to signal a change in story.” - Gary Martin - Everything Theatre

“Lu Herbert’s set design, Anna Short’s sound design and Jonathan Chan’s lighting design work harmoniously to extract as much tension and fear as possible and are integral to the impact that is delivered successfully. The well-judged moments of sudden, complete silence and darkness after each story allow the narrative to fully embed, while also giving a moment of respite to recover” - Christine Stanton - The Reviews Hub

“Without giving anything away, the lighting and sound design plays a big part in the play’s atmosphere and for those of you who have ever watched Sapphire & Steel,will recognise the allusions to the war-torn past and present overlapping…” - Michael Davis - Breaking the Fourth Wall

“The excellence of the lighting changes, sound design, illusions, and movement is apparent from this first scene, and the combination establishes that we are seeing top-notch action. Forget that this is a Halloween-inspired show; it works as pure visceral theatre.” - Bryan J Mason - Bristol 247

“Lighting design by Jonathan Chan brought a rumbling sense of movie action to the timeslip terror.” - Backstage Bristol Theatre

The Last Five Years

Reading Rep, Barn Theatre & Theatre Royal, Bath

“It is thanks to Cheek and to Chan’s lighting that the deceivingly basic set is nuanced to reflect mood, as the walls change colour from shades of primrose to blue, to mauve to grey as the story of the five years unfolds in both directions.” - Judi Herman - WhatsOnStage

“Brown’s script doesn’t make too many demands by way of set and, at first sight, it appears that designer Ethan Cheek is leaning into this. A platform, a cardboard box and a few chairs are surrounded by a screen, but together with lighting designer Jonathan Chan, this space is full of surprises that help the story along. The screens illuminate to reflect the mood, the platform unfolds to form a bed and a screen painted with delicate clouds occasionally dissolves to show Jamie or Cathy outside of their timeline. It could be distracting, but it all feeds into the narrative perfectly.” - Paul Vale - The Stage

“Jonathan Chan's lighting design is marvellous in the show, using overhead stage lighting as well as the set to create an atmospheric environment. With the warmth tones playing a key factor in quickly establishing emotional moments and position within the timeline, Chanmakes great use of the small staging. Chan's lighting in Nobody Needs To Know specifically is admirable, with the faded spotlights slowly flooding the stage as Jamie slowly realises his new truth.” - Oviya Thirumalai - Adventures in Theatreland

“Technically, this is a production that impresses through understatement. The lighting design is particularly adept at underscoring the emotional shifts. Whether bathing the stage in warm amber during fleeting moments of hope, or tightening in cold isolation during scenes of conflict, it shapes the audience’s emotional response with precision.” - Sam Martin - Mark Aspen Reviews

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting design adds elegance and intimacy, enhancing mood without overwhelming the simplicity at the heart of the production.” - Olivia Scull - Watching from the Cheap Seats

Get Happy

Omnibus Theatre

“Surprisingly, it’s the lighting design that is a highlight of the show for me. Seldom does the illumination of a production stand out so prominently, but here, the fluorescent tube lighting is nothing short of brilliant. Its use is consistently effective and beat-perfect, showcasing a clever subtlety that can also be pronounced when the narrative demands it. It’s a testament to how intelligent and impactful lighting can be.” - Mark Lloyd - A Young(ish) Perspective

“Jonathan Chan’s clever lights” - Richard Maguire - The Reviews Hub

Three Hens in a Boat

Reading Rep & The Watermill Theatre

“Jonathan Chan’s soft-focus lighting design casts willowy shadows across the painted water” - Paul Vale - The Stage

“Jasmine Swan's evocative and naturalistic set features a beautifully painted backcloth which works well with Jonathan Chan's atmospheric lighting” - David Woodward - British Theatre Guide

“Our hens are surrounded by a beautiful riverbank set. A painted backdrop of the river, which shifts over time thanks to some gorgeous lighting design (from Jonathan Chan) is coupled with a physical bank of grass and flowers.” - Russell Bailey - Daily Info

“Time passes almost imperceptibly, aided by soft lighting transitions that help differentiate moods and highlight the ebb and flow of the characters’ relationships. In particular, the darker moments of the play are underscored with a restrained, atmospheric palette that never overwhelms the performers but supports them.” - Sam Martin - Mark Aspen Reviews

An Interrogation

Hampstead Theatre

“Sarah Mercadé and Jonathan Chan’s design lends itself well to the atmosphere. It genuinely felt representative of the monolith of modern workplace interior design- sad carpet, strip lighting and mish-mash awkward furniture.” - Francesca Balchin - A Young(ish) Perspective

The Snowflake

Birmingham Rep

“There are several moments when the lighting design and puppetry come together to create magical moments onstage. The first time is when the audience are introduced to the character of the snowflake, who glows and sparkles across the stage, enchanting children and parents alike as audible gasps and ‘wows’ radiate around the auditorium. Seeing the snowflake puppets dance around the stage accompanied by a central disco ball and warming lighting design is a true highlight of the show.” - Heidi Downing - West End Best Friend

Pinocchio

The Watermill Theatre

“Every aspect of the stagecraft is outstanding. Yoav Segal’s set design has autumnal foliage hanging across the sides of the stage like bucolic curtains, with a giant luminous moon above. Jonathan Chan’s lighting design has a good play of light and dark, and there is stunning use of musical percussion.” - Arifa Akbar - The Guardian

“Designer Yoav Segal's beautiful autumnal woodland setting glows under Jonathan Chan's rich, atmospheric lighting.” - Paul Vale - The Stage

“All family shows aim to please both kids and grown-ups – this one succeeds in enthralling kids and their parents (and at the matinee I saw, their teachers) from the moment they find themselves drawn into the magical world of Yoav Segal’s autumnal set, enchantingly illuminated by Jonathan Chan.” - Judi Herman - WhatsOnStage

“Yoav Segal’s woodland set is stunning, and the attention to detail in Geppetto’s workshop is impressive, enhanced by Jonathan Chan’s atmospheric, beautiful lighting design.” - Robin Strapp - British Theatre Guide

Constellations

Theatr Clwyd

“Jonathan Chan’s immaculately timed lighting changes” - Chris Bartlett - The Stage

“Jonathan Chan's lighting design enhances the staging with atmospheric lighting, creating a cosmic feel that signifies multiple universes” - Vicky Humphreys - Adventures in Theatreland

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting design further enhances this with subtle shifts that guide the audience through the parallel worlds” - Clare Boswell - The Reviews Hub

“One’s curiosity is immediately piqued as the unusual setting is slowly revealed as what is essentially a light installation (inspired work by set and costume designer Hayley Grindle and lighting designer Jonathan Chan) which cleverly conveys a sense of both an infinite galaxy and a heavenly vista.” - Michael Green - Cheshire Live

Foam

Finborough Theatre

“Jonathan Chan lights it in a teal, subaqueous glow, which brightens to a harsh white halogen glare; at times, hot red or magenta bleed in through the cloudy windows.” - Dave Fargnoli - The Stage

“Nitin Parmer’s stunning set design works in harmony with Jonathan Chan’s gorgeously sensual lighting.” - Livvy Perrett - West End Best Friend

Kim’s Convenience

Park Theatre

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting design imitates the incessant glare of halogen lights, a steady white glow snapping to bright, neon tones of green and purple during a touching flashback sequence in which Appa and wife Umma (a prim, harried Namju Go) choose names for both their business and the baby they are expecting.” - Dave Fargnoli - The Stage

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting design beautifully brings the set to life” - Daz Gale - All That Dazzles

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting design manages to conjure both the strip store lighting of the corner store, as well as shifting to create memory sequences. It plays both with extreme naturalism and a nod to the opposite, and is beautifully thought through.” - Auriol Reddaway - Spy in the Stalls

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting brings the set to life, veering between dramatic and softer lighting.” - Bronagh - Theatre & Tonic

She Stoops to Conquer

Orange Tree Theatre

“Anett Black and Neil Irish's beguiling set design — sensitively lit by Jonathan Chan — turns the Orange Tree's intimate, in-the-round space into a well-worn rustic lounge” - Clive Davis - The Times

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting in this robust comedy is paradoxically exquisite” - Simon Jenner - FringeReview

The Flea

The Yard Theatre

“Combined with atmospheric yet subtle sound and lighting design (Josh Anio Grigg and Jonathan Chan respectively) the staging is very versatile, and apt for exploring the play’s sprawling plot.” - Anna Studsgarth - Spy in the Stalls

“supported by contemporary and beautifully melodramatic lighting design (Jonathan Chan)” - Grace Spencer - The Reviews Hub

Candy

Park Theatre

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting design is a standout and is hugely effective in illuminating the many topics brought to life in Candy.” - Josh Maughan - Broadway World UK

“Jonathan Chan's lighting design is glamorous. The delicate shifts transport us through time and across location with ease and clarity. The subtle soft changes highlight when we are meeting Candy versus Billy with great effect.” - Sebastian Calver - London Theatre Reviews

“A sympathetic and understated lighting design by Jonathan Chan.” - Peter Yates - LondonTheatre1

“Jonathan Chan’s lighting only adds to this, bringing us from brightly lit cabaret settings with Will addressing us directly to the most intimate of moments, feeling as if it is just you and Will in the room, and nobody else.” - Raphael Kohn - All That Dazzles

Duck

Arcola Theatre

“Featuring a reduced but well conceived set by Maariyah Sharjil and a dazzling lighting design by Jonathan Chan” - Guillermo Nazara - First Night Magazine

Grindr: The Opera

Union Theatre

“Combined with innovative lighting by Jonathan Chan and dynamic set pieces, the staging adds a captivating visual element to the production.” - Lisamarie Lamb - Theatre Weekly

“The clever use of lighting and projections adds depth to the performance, effectively transporting the audience into the “otherworldly” realm of Grindr.” - Alan Stuart Malin - North West End

“Lighting by Jonathan Chan was effective and precise, enhancing the mood.” - Derek Benfield - UK Theatre Web

Snowflakes

Park Theatre

“Lighting by Jonathan Chan is uncomplicated and deeply effective, making use of blackouts to allow for suspenseful reveals and a harsh increase in lighting to bring a clinical element to one particularly harrowing scene.” - Sam Waite - All That Dazzles

“A thrilleresque sound design and Jonathan Chan's lights swoop in with moody brushstrokes that accompany the action and manipulate its reception.” - Cindy Marcolina - Broadway World UK

“Lighting Designer, Jonathan Chan makes symbolic but subtle moves” - Stewart Who? - North West End UK

“There’s superb stage design from Alys Whitehead with a sparse set utilising Jonathan Chan’s lighting to shift focus and dynamics as the tension ebbs and flows.” - Paul Joyce - Ithankyoutheatre

Pussycat in Memory of Darkness

Finborough Theatre

“Very imaginative design, again in white is by Ola Klos, assisted by the subtle yet imaginative lighting of Jonathan Chan, which includes video images of the people of Ukraine and their devastated country which help bring the story to life.” - John Groves - LondonTheatre1

“Polly Creed’s clean, composed direction, and the punctuation of Jonathan Chan’s lighting design guide the audience through the rolling changes of scenery, as well as the hopping between memory and present day.” - Livvy Perrett - West End Best Friend

Get Happy

Pleasance Theatre

“This is also helped by some of the most consistently tight lighting (Jonathan Chan) and sound (Anna Short, Annie May Fletcher) cues I think I have ever seen in a show, and are all deftly harnessed by director Piers Black to help lift this production far beyond the confines of the compact stage.” - Simon J. Webb - Jack the Lad

In the Net

Jermyn Street Theatre

“Jonathan Chan’s rich lighting design creates lovely transitions from dawn to dusk, with washes of midnight blue and warm syrupy amber. During scenes depicting hostile interviews at Immigration Control, we are plunged into darkness, broken only by a single bulb suspended menacingly overhead.” - Dave Fargnoli - The Stage

“Lighting by Jonathan Chan is spectacular and the second half of the performance is transformed by intersecting lines of light representing the final eruv.” - Sara West - Everything Theatre

“There’s potential Offies here though. One outstanding feature is the lighting. Jonathan Chan’s play of turquoise and rose at key moments in Ingrid Hu’s poetic set is dazzling. But wait for the tracery of lights that make the latter moments of the play as visually compelling in a small theatre as I’ve ever seen. It’s genuinely stunning, aided by Daniel Denton’s video design. Hu’s set helps too. With an upstage play of branches like a Chinese print of bleak beauty, the foreground’s panels of pearly opalescence glow like rice paper: all semi-transparent doors and lintels, a shield of gossamer-squares and labyrinth of dim gleams.” - Simon Jenner - Fringe Review UK

“Plaudits to Jonathan Chan who created the ever growing “net” of the play’s title through a stunning lighting design.” - Srabani Sen - London Pub Theatres

“I have to mention the lighting design because as this play reaches its surreal conclusion, Jonathan Chan’s lighting mixes with multiple coloured strands of thread to create the impression that we’re all suspended high above ground fighting alongside the three women in this play to maintain the higher ground and a unity of purpose that transcends the lines that normally have us bound. Maybe it was the interval can of pale ale, but it was a lofty feeling indeed and fully matched the elevated poetic prose that infuses Misha Levkov’s first play.” - Paul Joyce - Ithankyoutheatre

Grandad, Me and Teddy Too

Polka Theatre

“The set (designed by Katie Lias) is beautiful and enticing; the brilliant Polka ushers are constantly alert to toddlers who attempt to climb off the carpet and into Mia's bedroom. Jonathan Chan's colourful lighting and sound design from Greg Hall also add a touch of magic to proceedings.” - Charlotte Bois-Pursey - Broadway World UK

“Designed by Jonathan Chan the lighting provides a pathway to a wondrous, imaginary world.” - Marian Kennedy - LondonTheatre1

“Underscoring this, twinkling music and lights are used sparingly but beautifully effectively to emphasise important moments, or changes in location, accentuating the careful storytelling with sensory sparkle.” - Mary Pollard - Everything Theatre

The Solid Life of Sugar Water

Orange Tree Theatre

“Thanks to some clever work with mirrors and lights from designers Ica Niemz and Jonathan Chan, in the moments of despair a gulf opens up beneath the bed: a glowing red hole seems to reach down to impossible depths.” - Miriam Gillinson - The Guardian

The Straw Chair

Finborough Theatre

“The spirit of the island is beautifully evoked in all its remoteness and its beauty, its oddness and naturalness, aided by Anna Short’s hauntingly poetic score, and by Jonathan Chan’s lighting of the plain backdrop in different hues of white and blue – a simple ploy but hugely effective in creating the illusion of different times of day and different weather” - Christopher Day - Open Letters Review

“There is considerable beauty in this simply staged show, where sensitive lighting and sound effects successfully convey atmosphere.” - Jenny Booth - Time & Leisure

“Polly Creed’s direction carefully balances scenes with shifting atmospheres which paired with Jonathan Chan’s lighting design creates a strong emotional landscape to the narrative.” - Viv Williams - West End Best Friend

“Alex Marker’s set design is functional – relatively barren, like the world Isabel finds herself coming to terms with – but the staging is made rich through understated, evocative lighting from Jonathan Chan and Anna Short’s expressive sound design. Together they introduce subtle reference to the profound beauty within the island community and its culture.” - Mary Pollard - Everything Theatre

Snowflakes

Old Red Lion Theatre

“Snowflakes is a master class in the use of theatricality, although there is a filmic feel to the show, it uses a marriage of multi-media, superb lighting effects, thoughtful costume and set design to achieve it.” Heather Jeffery - London Pub Theatres

“Above all, credit to the smoking lighting effects designed by Jonathan Chan which give the show a film noir effect.” Heather Jeffery - London Pub Theatres

“Alys Whitehead’s design is a delight, with a set that effectively integrates digital elements in a way that enhances rather than distracting (always a risk with video projections, but brilliantly executed here). While Jonathan Chan’s lighting design further enhances the atmosphere of the piece.” - View From the Outside

“As for the stage itself, the static set makes use of some subtle but clever lighting to create something more than initially meets the eye.” - Zoё Meeres - North West End UK

Fester

Cockpit Theatre

“Vasko’s design, combined with Jonathan Chan’s light design and the ensemble’s scenographic efforts create some magical moments on stage, such as the use of handheld lights to manifest hellhounds and the creation of the ‘hell-evator” Gaurav Singh Nijjer - North West End UK

Sticks and Stones

Tristan Bates Theatre

“Lighting, costume and set design are all effective too; neatly realising school offices with an eye for detail despite the tight space.” Mike Carter - Everything Theatre

Random

Tristan Bates Theatre

“The atmosphere of a full theatre in an almost empty stage is created by a superb work of lights. Simple yet perfect. Praise to the creative team helping Francesca create and define the space on stage, so you feel yourself walking in their house, even if you are sitting on a chair of a theatre” Giuseppe Barone - London Theatre Reviews

“The large rug, single chair in the middle, and a meticulous lighting design that alternates warm and cold lights to indicate places and states of mind are everything the performer needs to aid her narration.” Cindy Marcolina - Broadway World UK