Many Islanders might already know of Isle of Wight actor Joe Bone, with some having witnessed his performances live or on TV (Castles in the Sky). But a lesser-known fact is his standing as a Guinness World Record holder.
Joe Bone, a multifaceted talent as a writer, actor, and performer, currently holds the World Record for the most number of characters performed by a single actor in a single theatre performance.
80 different characters
He clinched this record in 2011, masterfully portraying an astounding 80 different characters during consecutive performances about 1950’s American gunslinger, Bruce Bane, in Bane 1, 2, 3 at the Soho Theatre.
Alongside Joe’s remarkable character-switching, another Islander, musician Ben Roe, enriched the performances with a virtuoso live soundtrack.
Former record holder
Before Joe’s achievement, the late Laxman Deshpande from India held the record. Deshpande had portrayed all 52 roles in the three-hour solo act ‘Varhad Nighalay Londonla’, a feat he repeated 2,125 times since its inaugural paid performance.
Three cheers to Joe for helping to put the Isle of Wight on the map.
