Kenton Hall (born September 1, 1976) is a Canadian-born British actor, filmmaker, writer, and musician. He fronted the Leicester-based indie rock band ist from 2001 to 2010, directed and starred in the 2015 independent film A Dozen Summers, and wrote the 2019 memoir Bisection.
Early and personal life Hall was born in Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada, and raised in a strict religious cult. At age 19, he moved from Canada to the United Kingdom.
Hall has spoken publicly about living with bipolar disorder, which was first raised following a suicide attempt at age 16, though he did not receive medical treatment until adulthood. He is also openly bisexual and has twin daughters, Scarlet and Hero Hall, who starred in his debut feature film.
Career Music From 2001 to 2010, Hall was the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for the Leicester-based indie rock band ist. The group released three studio albums: King Martha, Freudian Corduroy, and Toothpick Bridge, along with several EPs and singles.
After a long hiatus from music, Hall launched the solo project Kenton Hall & The Necessary Measures, releasing the triple album Idiopath in 2023. It was released alongside a cover album, Omniopath, where his songs were covered by other artists (including The Swinging Laurels, Steve Nieve, Colin Baker, Kevin Hewick, etc.), and was accompanied by a feature film version titled Videopath. In 2026, he released the album Songs for the Swung.
Film and acting In 2015, Hall wrote, directed, and co-starred in the independent comedy film A Dozen Summers. The film was made on a budget of £20,000. It premiered at Phoenix Comicon and was later distributed on streaming platforms, including Netflix and Apple TV. It received awards for Best Screenplay and Best Actress at the Torremolinos Fantastic Film Festival.
As an actor, Hall has appeared in minor roles in feature films including Les Misérables and Muppets Most Wanted (2014), as well as short films for Seven/Five Productions.
Writing and audio drama In 2019, Hall published Bisection: A More or Less Accurate Account of Bipolar Parenting and Twin Wrangling, a comedic memoir about raising children while managing bipolar disorder, published by Spiteful Puppet and Chinbeard Books.
His audio drama work includes co-writing the 10-part Audible Original historical drama Getting Better: The Fight for the NHS (2021), starring Rhod Gilbert and Mark Gatiss, which received positive reviews in The Observer. He has also written licensed Doctor Who audio spin-offs, including the audio musical Children of the Circus (2023) for AUK Studios starring Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2012 Les Misérables Ensemble Uncredited 2013 The Amityville Asylum Pemberton 2014 Muppets Most Wanted Russian Gulag Prisoner Uncredited 2014 The Theory of Everything Young Professor Uncredited 2015 A Dozen Summers Henry McCormack Also director, writer, and producer 2015 The Honourable Rebel Roland de Margerie
Audio and podcasts Year Title Role Notes 2021 Getting Better: The Fight for the NHS Miner Audible Original; also co-writer 2023 London After Midnight Hibbs Audio drama; also writer and director 2023–2026 Twilight Meridian Aidan / Police Sergeant Audio series; also writer and director
Discography with ist Studio albums Year Title Label Notes 2002 Freudian Corduroy Pink Box Records First released on CD in 2002; released on streaming platforms in 2004. Extended edition released in 2010 2005 King Martha Pink Box Records Extended edition released in 2010 2009 Toothpick Bridge Self-released Extended edition released in 2014 EPs and singles Year Title Label Format 2001 The Adult Tree E.P. Pink Box Records 12" EP 2002 The Corduroy Sessions Pink Box Records Promo CD 2004 Similarly Inclined Pink Box Records 7" single 2006 The Wreck Of The Eddie Fitzpatrick / I Am Jesus [And You're Not] Pink Box Records Single 2009 Pep Talk Monkey Basket Records Promo CD 2014 Boyfriend Punk Fox 7" single
Kenton Hall & The Necessary Measures Year Title Type Notes 2023 Idiopath Studio album Triple album (3LP) 2023 Omniopath Companion album Cover versions by 36 guest artists 2023 That's More Like It Studio release 2024 The Sun Shone Down / Good At What I Do Single Double single 2025 Towards the Light Studio release 2026 Songs for the Swung Studio album Released April 30, 2026
References
External links
Kenton Hall & The Necessary Measures on Bandcamp ist on Bandcamp