In 1910, the then unknown Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel set sail from Liverpool to New York as part of Fred Karno’s famous music hall troupe. On the voyage, they shared a cabin, they shared comedy routines and they shared laughter...

Inspired by real life events, Told by an Idiot’s acclaimed production of Charlie and Stan is the remarkable story of the greatest double act that nearly was and is a hilarious and deeply moving homage to two men who changed the world of comedy forever.

Told by an Idiot is one of the UK’s leading physical theatre companies, is recognized as one of the companies that have redefined the landscape of British theatre. The company is dedicated to modernizing classic works and creating new scripts, masterfully navigating the realms of comedy and tragedy with intricate designs. Its name originates from a famous line in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and was co-founded in 1993 by Hayley Carmichael, Paul Hunter, and John Wright.

Known for their unique creative style, the company excels in blending dark, melancholic themes with elements of comedy and farce, offering audiences an experience that is both entertaining and profound. Their thematic explorations span a wide range, from Alzheimer’s disease to terrorism, combining authentic drama with black humor to craft a distinctive theatrical style.

Often drawing inspiration from real-life scenarios or historical moments, Told by an Idiot creates original, singular productions that transcend merely reproducing reality on stage. Instead, they construct their own theatrical worlds, demonstrating unparalleled creative potential. Their work defies boundaries, showcasing an extraordinary capacity for innovation across a broad spectrum of subject matter.

Paul Hunter is co-founder and Artistic Director of Told by an Idiot. Paul has worked on all Told by an Idiot shows to date as director/writer/performer. 

As a performer, Paul has appeared in: Wise Children (Wise Children Old Vic and UK tour); The Little Match Girl (Shakespeare’s Globe); Tartuffe (Birmingham Repertory Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare's Globe); Under The Black Flag (Shakespeare's Globe); Les Enfants Du Paradis (RSC)

Nick Haverson is a professionally trained actor who received systematic acting education at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).

His Theatre credits include: The Yeoman of the Guard (The Grange Festival); Charlie & Stan (Told by an Idiot); Loves Labour’s Lost & Won (Much Ado About Nothing) (RSC Stratford & Haymarket London); Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Manchester, Told by an Idiot); Ben Hur (Watermill Newbury); The Devil and Mr.Punch (Improbable, Philadelphia USA/ Barbican UK); ‘1984’ (Northern Broadsides); Low Pay, Don’t Pay (Salisbury Playhouse) etc,.

TV credits include: Scott & Bailey; Tales from the Old Bailey; The Mimic; Thank God You’re Here (series); Ashes to Ashes; Spooks; Absolutely True; Wyrd sisters (The Worst Witch 2) etc,.

Films include: Matriarch; Muppets Most Wanted; Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd; Hilary & Jackie; Susie Gold etc,.

Jerone trained in physical theatre at East 15 Acting School and has worked all over the UK and Europe since then. He took part in London’s International Mime Festival 2020 & 2023 and was in the original cast for the West End run of Marvellous.

Theatre credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Garsington Opera); Astleys’s Amazing Adventure (New Vic Theatre); 4 Walls (Derby Theatre); Marvellous (@sohoplace); Marvellous (New Vic Theatre); Charlie and Stan / The Strange Tale of Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel (Told by an Idiot); The Things I’ve Dismissed (Clifftown Theatre, Project Lockout); Feel The Fear (Camden Fringe / Fusion Festival, Project Lockout); Breathe The Beat (UK Tour)

Films and Music videos: 7 Deadly Idiots (Told by an Idiot); Still Got Time (Zayn Malik Ft PartyNextDoor); Not Letting Go (Tinie Tempah and Jess Glynne); You Want Me (Tom Zinneti); Fam That’s Peak (Arnold Jorge and Stormzy).

As a facilitator, Jerone specialises in movement and physical comedy. He has run various movement workshops at East 15 Acting School and facilitated A Midsummer Night's Dream and the theatre outreach programme HAMMERTIME at St Paul’s Girl School. Jerone has also led a physical comedy workshops for the Idiots at LIPA. And he was the movement director on Project Lockout’s show Maniac Complex and Champions at Mast Mayflower on their youth theatre programme.

Danielle's theatre credits include: Pretty Shitty Love (Theatre Clwyd); Alice In Wonderland (New Vic Theatre); The Comedy Of Errors (Mercury Theatre, Colchester); Beauty and The Beast (New Vic Theatre); Charlie & Stan (Told by an Idiot, UK Tour); The Comedy of Errors (Storyhouse Theatre); The Prince and The Pauper (New Vic Theatre); The Worst Witch (Vaudeville Theatre); Astley's Astounding Adventures (New Vic Theatre); Aladdin (Theatre Royal, Wakefield); The Hypocrite (Hull Truck/Royal Shakespeare Company); Macbeth (Shakespeares Globe Theatre); NotMoses (Arts Theatre); The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Birmingham REP); Alice’s Adventures Underground (Les Enfants Terribles); Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Othello and Cyrano De Bergerac (Chester Performs/Grosvenor Open Air Theatre); Princess and The Pea (York Theatre Royal); Father Christmas and The Icicle Bicycle, Tea Time (Oxford Playhouse); The Prince and The Pauper (Unicorn Theatre), Colin Hoult’s Real Horror Show (Leicester Square Theatre); No Ball Games (New Wolsey Theatre); As You Like It (Principal Theatre); Slick (Scarabeus Theatre Dance Company); Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet (Young Shakespeare Company); Magician’s Assistant (You Me Bum Bum Train).

TV credits include: Hapless (Magnet Films); Vengeance (Light Films); The Investigator (ITV/Netflix); The Wives Did It (Discovery); Holby City (BBC) & The Double Life of Morton Coyle (The Comedy Unit/BBC).

Film credits include: Now You See Me 2 (Lionsgate); A Running Jump, Mike Leigh’s Olympic film (BBC Films/Film4).

Described in The Observer as 'a remarkable pianist by any standard', Zoe has firmly established herself as one of the brightest stars on the contemporary jazz scene. She won a MOBO Award for best Jazz Act in 2012 and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize for her 2006 album Melting Pot, which also won Jazz Album of the Year at the UK’s first Parliamentary Jazz Awards.

A vibrant and highly individual pianist/composer, her style is deeply rooted in jazz yet it reflects her classical background, British/Bengali heritage and her very broad musical taste. Known for her powerful technique, wide-ranging imagination and exuberant performance, she has become a highly sought-after musician, working with the likes of Courtney Pine, George Mraz, Jerry Dammers Spatial AKA Orchestra, Martha Wainwright, among many others.

Zoe studied classical piano at the Royal Academy of Music, took a music degree at Oxford University and then won a scholarship to study jazz performance at Berklee College of Music, Boston. She has toured extensively throughout the UK and internationally, including performances in USA, Japan, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Italy, France, Barbados, Romania, Hungary, Algeria, Germany, Estonia, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka.

Zoe has been a featured artist on numerous TV and radio programmes and is frequently invited to sit on high-profile panels – most notably, the Mercury Music Prize and BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year, Nottingham International Jazz Piano competition. She shares her passion for music through teaching in a variety of contexts, inspiring musicians of all ages and abilities.

Creative Team

Created by Told by an Idiot

Performers: Zoe Rahman, Danielle Bird, Nick Haverson, Jerone Marsh
Writer and Director: Paul Hunter

Designer: Ioana Curelea

Lighting Designer: Aideen Malone

Composer: Zoe Rahman

Physical Comedy Consultant: Jos Houben

Song Arrangement: Sophie Cotton

Dance Choreography: Nuna Sandy for ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company

Video Designer: Dom Baker

Assistant Director: Andrea Cabrera Luna

From an idea by Irene Cotton

With additional material from the company

China Tour：Performance Infinity Productions

Performance Infinity is a London-based performing arts management agency, founded in 2012, with a Beijing branch established in 2024. Performance Infinity provides a wide range of services including international artist management, touring and event management, festival organisation, cultural consulting, as well as original production development, copyright incubation and management. In addition, Performance Infinity engages in professional training and academic research. Over the years, Performance Infinity has collaborated with diverse arts organisations, companies, and individual artists worldwide, making outstanding contributions to enhancing the diversity, richness, and excellence of the international performing arts market.