Joseph Coelho is a performance poet and playwright who worked with Half Moon Theatre from 2014-2018, working on four productions: Pop-Up Flashback, The Poetry Joe Show, Fairytales Gone Bad: Grannylocks / The Monstrous Duckling and Fairytales Gone Bad: Zombie-rella / Blood-red Hood.

On 4 July 2022 he was named children’s laureate.

In 2018 Joseph Coelho and Manjeet Mannran ran the London Marathon to support Half Moon, raising vital funds for the organisation.

After the marathon, Joseph said: “Such an honour to take part and to raise money for the wonderful Half Moon Theatre. It was hard going and my final time was 05:36:4, which was not a personal best – but given the heat and the gap in training due to illness I’ll take that! There is something about the endeavour that brings out the best in people. I saw people carrying others and countless people running for loved ones, it really is an emotional and physical rollercoaster and a lesson in perseverance.

Find out more about Joseph running the 2018 London Marathon and take a look at the FlickR gallery.