Arthur Smith
Arthur Smith is a comedian, writer, actor, radio host and the self-proclaimed ‘Night Mayor of Balham’ (“I don’t do days”). A regular on the BBC TV show Grumpy Old Men and an Edinburgh Festival stalwart, Smith wrote the stage play An Evening with Gary Lineker, which was nominated for an Olivier Award. He continues to perform his stand-up shows across the country and guests on BBC Radio 4′s Excess Baggage and Loose Ends.
Arthur Smith was born in South London and continues to call it home. Famed for his stand-up shows, such as Arthur Smith Sings Leonard Cohen and An Audience with Arthur Smith, he has also appeared in Doctor Who and Red Dwarf, and took over as narrator for the TV series A Life of Grime after the death of John Peel.
But it is his live performances which best capture his brilliance, as he moves effortlessly from the observational to the absurd. After nearly dying from Pancreatitis, Smith went teetotal and this experience provided the material for Arthur Smith’s Last Hangover, a live show that was later broadcast on Radio 4. In 2005 he turned down a Perrier lifetime achievement award, stating that, “Comedians rather dislike the Perrier Awards and the public aren’t interested. Basically, they wanted to tell me I was old and cool; well, I know that already, and anyway, my ego is bloated enough.”
A regular favourite at the Port Eliot Festival, Arthur will be performing Groovy Old Men with Michael Eavis and Peregrine St Germans at this year’s festival.
“Smith stands out among his generation for a willingness to keep pushing himself and experimenting with new forms of comedic expression. This tour offers audiences another chance to see why today’s hottest young comics still see him as an inspiration.”
James Kettle, The Guardian
Links:
- Interview with the Telegraph
- Podcast: Arthur Smith sings Leonard Cohen
- Podcast: Alex Bellfield in conversation with Arthur Smith
Video:
Arthur Smith on Room 101: Part One
Arthur Smith on Room 101: Part Two
Arthur Smith on Room 101: Part Three
