Ian Christopher Hallard (born 9 November 1974) is an English actor and writer. His work includes acting roles on television, at the National Theatre and in the West End, including the lead role of Michael in a revival of Mart Crowley's The Boys in the Band. He has also written and script edited for both television and stage.
Early and personal life Hallard was born in Birmingham on 9 November 1974. Following his education at Solihull School and an undergraduate degree at the University of Sheffield, he trained at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts on the Post Graduate Acting course, won a singing scholarship, and graduated in 1998. He lives with his husband, the actor and screenwriter Mark Gatiss, in Islington in London.
Career Theatre Hallard has been acting professionally since 1999, when he appeared in a production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at the Battersea Arts Centre. Since then his roles have included Sordo in Scenes from an Execution at the Royal National Theatre, Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Bill Taylor in the Michael Frayn farce Donkeys' Years, Jack Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest and Judah in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. His work also includes the National Theatre production Great Britain by Richard Bean in the ensemble multi-character role of Jimmy the Bins/ St. John/Felix. In 2015 he played the leading role of Alan Turing in the UK premiere of the Snoo Wilson play Lovesong of the Electric Bear at the Arts Theatre.
He played the lead role of Michael in a revival of Mart Crowley's The Boys in the Band at the Park Theatre and on a short UK tour in autumn 2016. He then reprised the role when the show transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre in February 2017. His performance led to him being nominated as Best Actor in the Whatsonstage.com theatre awards, alongside Ian McKellen, Jamie Parker, Kenneth Branagh, and Ralph Fiennes.
In 2019, he starred in the revival of Closer to Heaven, the musical written by Jonathan Harvey and Pet Shop Boys at Above the Stag Theatre.
In March 2021, he played the role of Richard in the first play he wrote, Adventurous, produced by Jermyn Street Theatre. He has been the resident panto dame at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon, since first appearing in Beauty and the Beast in 2021.
In 2023, he played the role of Peter in his own play The Way Old Friends Do which premiered at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre before touring and then transferring to London's West End at the Criterion Theatre in August of that year.
In 2025, he played the role of Richard in a revival of Naomi Westerman's play Puppy at the King's Head Theatre and also played the role of Orion in Michinari Ozawa's play Our Cosmic Dust, in its first English language translation at the Park Theatre.
Television Hallard has appeared in cult BBC TV shows such as Doctor Who as Alan-a-Dale in the 2014 episode "Robot of Sherwood"; in Sherlock as Mr Crayhill in the 2011 episode "The Reichenbach Fall", and on the long-running BBC Daytime TV series Doctors. He played one of the original directors of Doctor Who, Richard Martin, in the BBC docu-drama An Adventure in Space and Time. He appears in the sixth episode of the second season (“Vergangenheit”) of Netflix's series The Crown, as an employee of the minister of foreign affairs.
Writing Hallard co-wrote The Big Four (2013) with Mark Gatiss for the ITV series Agatha Christie: Poirot, starring David Suchet. He was the Script Associate on the Poirot episodes Cat Among the Pigeons (2008) and Hallowe'en Party (2010).Q&A With Ian Hallard. Investigating Poirot. http://www.agathachristie.com/news/feature/adapting-poirot
His debut play Adventurous was produced by Jermyn Street Theatre, and streamed online from 16–28 March 2021.
Other writing for theatre includes Horse-Play at Riverside Studios, a comedy starring David Ames, Jake Maskall and Matt Lapinskas; and The Way Old Friends Do, which premiered at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in February 2023.
Selected filmography Year Title Role Notes 2004Global Conspiracy Gary Talbot Video short 2005–2006Where The Heart Is Barman (Al)5 episodes 2006Agatha Christie's Marple Reporter Yates S2E4: “The Sittaford Mystery” 2006Ideal OwenEpisode: "The Stag Do" 2006Suburban Shootout Port OfficialEpisode: "Throw Momma from the Train" 2007The Worst Journey in the World Clive WentworthTV movie 2008Crisis Control Michael De Mornay BBC Television 2008Crooked House Felix de Momery 2009The First Men in the Moon Phi-Oo (voice) 2010Agatha Christie’s PoirotEdmund DrakeEpisode: "Hallowe'en Party" 2010HustleVicarEpisode: "Benny’s Funeral" 2011Doctors David MossEpisode: "Life Without Yum-Yum" 2012SherlockMr CrayhillEpisode: "The Reichenbach Fall" 2013An Adventure in Space and TimeRichard Martin TV movie2013Agatha Christie’s PoirotMercutioEpisode: “The Big Four” 2013DoctorsTim Cruikshank Series 15, Episode 58 2014Doctor WhoAlan-a-DaleEpisode: "Robot of Sherwood"2015DoctorsDavid MossEpisode: "L'amore e la morte"2017The CrownAnalystEpisode: "Vergangenheit"2018Mary Queen of ScotsSir Richard Knightley2019 Martin's CloseHosier 2021 Doctors Ade Holland Episode: "Quality Time"2021EndeavourBrian FrussellEpisode: "Scherzo"
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