Full Stage Splash: A Comic Look at the Comic Book

Join the Sigil Club at the Hen & Chickens Theatre in London this weekend, as they dare to fit the entire history of the comic book medium into one hour of comedy, using sketches, puppets, fights and seven-foot long diagrams to educate and entertain.

Full Stage Splash is a fast paced condensation (four actors, 65 roles, one hour!) of a large topic that has been enjoyed by both experts and those with no prior knowledge. It is a humorous take on the historical, social and political changes which affected how those heroes in capes foil the evil villains’ schemes.

After a well received jaunt as part of the Fringe Festival, Full Stage Splash returns to treat those who missed its initial run as it takes over the Hen & Chickens Theatre this coming Saturday night.

Laugh as comic characters are forced to change by the propaganda of the 1940s, the soul searching of the 70s and the bandanas of the 90s!

Weep as a puppet encourages books to be burnt!

Recoil in horror as someone attempts to teach you something!

Described by one reviewer as “A stupendous, giddy romp through the facts of the funny books", the Sigil Club present traditional theatre practices mixed with pop-culture touchstones to excite a wide audience and present new ideas. Their previous plays, including an existential fairy tale, an absurdist comedy, and a live theatre sitcom set in a comic store, have consistently amused audiences, selling out the Hen & Chickens, the Etcetera and the Roundhouse Studio theatres.

Script and direction is by Michael Eckett, who joins the cast which also includes experienced members Daniel Farley, Kate Quinn and Kris Wood. Jackie O’Sullivan co-produces and stage manages with design work by Larissa Kunstel-Tabet and lighting by Julian Adams.

• Full Page Splash: The Hen & Chickens Theatre, 109 St Paul’s Road, London N1 2NA, Saturday 8th December 9.30pm £8. Web: www.sigilclub.co.uk

Halo Jones heads for Thought Bubble

Morag Peacock will play Halo Jones in the latest stage play production of Alan Moore and Ian Gibson's brilliant comic story. Photo courtesy Lass O'Gowrie Productions

Scytheplays and Lass O'Gowrie Productions have announced that their much-lauded adaptation of writer Alan Moore and artist Ian Gibson's comic book series, The Ballad of Halo Jones, is to be re-staged as part of Thought Bubble, the week-long comic arts festival held in Leeds from Sunday 11th to Sunday 18th November.

Originally published in 2000AD from 1984 to 1986 for three adventures, Scytheplays' production, written by Ross Kelly (The Year of the Sex Olympics) and Ian Winterton (Baby Jesus Freak, Sherica), adapts the first two stories.

Halo Jones was originally conceived by Gibson and Moore as an antidote to the violent and testosterone-fuelled adventures common in 2000AD; Halo is an everywoman whose adventure is simply to get through life day-to-day in the hellish far-future environment of 'the Hoop', the lawless and directionless slum and dumping ground for the unemployed of 51st century society in which she lives, while always dreaming of a way out.

Halo's youthful pluck and sense of humour, plus Gibson's beautiful design and the richness of Moore's quirky details and imaginative future-speak, made the series a cult classic and an early step on the writer's journey to becoming the world's foremost comic book author (as creator of V for Vendetta, Watchmen and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen among many others).

When first performed in January 2012 at the Lass O'Gowrie, The Ballad of Halo Jones received rave reviews (including this extremely detailed one over on the Forbidden Planet blog).  The new production, which performs at Leeds' The Library Scream Pub on Sunday 11th November (7.30pm), Monday 12th November (7.30pm) and Saturday 17th November (12.30pm and 2.45pm), retains the key creative team from that show and three of the cast: Zoe Iqbal (as Swifty Frisco), Marlon Solomon (Mix Ninegold) and Will Hutchby (Lux Roth Chop).  A preview of Zoe's performance as Swifty can be seen here.

Mora*g McLean Whyman Peacock will lead the new production as Halo Jones with Rodice Olsun played by Sinead Parker (from the comedy duo Norris and Parker) and Brinna Childresse-Lao by Carly Tarett (from Comedy Sportz), along with Adam Beresford (from TV's Shameless), Ellie Beesle, Leni Columbo Murphy, Sean Mason and Ian Winterton.

Producer of Halo Jones Gareth Kavanagh remarks: “It really is an honour to be staging Halo Jones in the midst of Thought Bubble, the UK’s premiere comic festival. With a tale built on unemployment, immigration, urban decay, benefit dependency and illegal wars, Halo’s story of struggle and above all hope, is perhaps more relevant today than it ever has been. I can’t wait for people to see her story with fresh eyes.”

• Facebook event page: www.facebook.com/events/158272227648959

• Tickets for The Ballad of Halo Jones at Thought Bubble will cost £10 on the door, and online sales will shortly be opened through WeGotTickets.  

Poster art by Adrian Salmon and graphic design by Daniel Thackeray

The Trial of Dennis the Menace: More Details

We mentioned this before as part of a longer post but it is worth mentioning again by itself. The new children's musical The Trial of Dennis the Menace will be taking place in London's Southbank Centre's Purcell Room over the weekend of 17-19th February as part of the Imagine Children's Festival.

The play is written by Caroline Bird with original music by Matt Rogers and was commissioned by Southbank Centre, with The Sage Gateshead and Juice Festival, and Glasgow UNESCO City of Music, supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

It is recommended for ages seven and over and is described as "An hour of music, words and action for Beano-lovers big and small. Beanotown is in crisis. Who stole the mayor's gold chain? Someone is trying to put the blame on Dennis and the grownups of Beanotown are declaring war on fun. We say the kids aren't guilty! Who's on their side? Children unite!"

Date and times are as follows -

Friday 17 February 2012 - 2.30pm
Saturday 18 February 2012, - 2.45pm & 5.00pm
Sunday 19 February 2012 - 1.30pm & 4.00pm

Ticket costs are as follows -

Prices: £12 (adults) £6 (children)
Booking Fee: £1.75 (Members £0.00)
Concessions: 50% off (limited availability)

There are more details of the musical and how to book tickets on the South Bank Centre's website.


There is a short interview with the star of the musical on the Beano's website.

 The Beano © DC Thomson & Co Ltd

Halo Jones stage play poster

Here's the poster for the new Ballad of Halo Jones play at the Lass O'Gowrie in Manchester which we plugged recently. The art is by Adrian Salmon, who's been a regular contributor to Doctor Who Magazine for many years, and he's posted the original art and its creation process on his blog.

• More info on the Lass, as ever can be found at www.thelass.co.uk and Lassfest at the (soon to be updated) www.lassfest.co.uk