Roy Smiles

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Roy Smiles
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London, England
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OccupationTemplate:Pluralize from textDramatist, playwright, songwriter
Years active1987–present
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Websitehttps://roysmiles.bandcamp.com

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Roy Smiles (born 1966) is a singer-songwriter & playwright from Ealing, London. He is also an occasional actor.

Smiles has written 27 theatre plays, the best known of which is Kurt and Sid, a 2009 London West End production about the fictional meeting of Sid Vicious and Kurt Cobain, starring Danny Dyer & Shaun Evans.[1]

He has released ten albums of songs:[2] Drunks & Dreamers,[3] Time's Moving On,[4] Seize The Day,[5] Autumn Song,[6] Bremen,[7] The Trains & The Rain,[8] Northern Angels,[9] Lost Souls,[10][11] November's Child,[12][13] and Tales Of The Oceans.[14][15]

He has released twelve compilations of his music: London Hymns,[16] Go Gently (Best Of),[17] A Land Called Home (Best Of II),[18] Forty Big Hits,[19] 40 More Big Hits,[20] 40 Big Hits III,[21] Songs For Lost Lovers,[22] Best Of III,[23] The Folk Songs,[24][25][26] The Country Songs,[27] The London Songs.[28][29] & The Ballads.

Career

Smiles' stage plays focus largely on biographical subjects such as Spike Milligan (Ying Tong - A Walk With The Goons), Kurt Cobain (Kurt & Sid), Albert Camus (The Weight Of Days), Evelyn Waugh (Waugh In Winter), Marilyn Monroe/Arthur Miller (Reno),[30] George Orwell (Year of the Rat),[31] Tony Hancock (The Lad Himself)[32] & Robert F. Kennedy (The Last Pilgrim).[33]

Before establishing himself as a playwright Smiles was half of the Brighton sketch comedy duo: 'Smiles & Kemp' with Michael Kemp (1985-1989). Following that he was in the original cast of the Heather Brothers musical: A Slice Of Saturday Night. He performed in the show over 700 times. The play transferred from the Kings Head Theatre to The Arts Theatre running for two years (1989-1991).

His first play staged in 1992 at the Battersea Arts Centre, Schmucks[34] was about a fictitious meeting between Groucho Marx and Lenny Bruce.

In 1993 Smiles played Ted Nuttall in the first season of ITV's Frank Stubbs Promotes with Timothy Spall.

The Promised Land - a play commissioned to commemorate the 50th anniversary of V.E Night and set on the same night, was staged at the Kings Head Theatre in 1995.[35]

The Boys Of Summer – his play set in a HIV ward was staged at the Old Red Lion in 1995, with Ian Bartholomew.[36]

In 1997/1998 he played Roy Leyton in two seasons of spoof BBC police documentary: Operation Good Guys.

Stand Up – his play about the London stand-up comedy scene was staged at the Old Red Lion in 1999, with Lucy Davies. It was revived at The Kings Head Theatre in 2006 under the title The Ho-Ho Club directed by Karl Howman and starring Sally Lindsay.[37][38]

Bombing People – a farce about the Enola Gay, was staged at the Jermyn Street Theatre in 2000, with Michael Fitzgerald.[39]

Sick Dictators – a farce about Chilean dictator General Pinochet, was staged at the Jermyn Street Theatre in 2001, directed by James Bolam.[40]

In 2002 he played Itzhak Heller, a Jewish collaborator, in Roman Polanski's Oscar winning Best Picture The Pianist.[41]

Ying Tong – A Walk with the Goons, the story of Spike Milligan's nervous breakdown whilst writing The Goon Show, was staged at West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2004, transferring the following year to the New Ambassadors Theatre in London's West End before touring the US, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.[42][43]

Year Of The Rat – his play about George Orwell's attempt to woo wife-to-be Sonia Brownell whilst writing 1984 was staged at West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2007, with Hugo Speer as Orwell.[44]

Good Evening – about the Beyond The Fringe team had its world premier in South Africa in 2007 then was broadcast on Radio 4 in 2008, with Benedict Cumberbatch as Dudley Moore.[45]

Pythonesque[46] – the story of the Monty Python Flying Circus team, opened in South Africa in 2008 before moving to Edinburgh as part of the Fringe Festival in 2009.[47]

The Last Pilgrim – about Senator Robert F. Kennedy's doomed campaign for the American Presidency was staged in London in 2010.[48]

Funny People, his book about his comedy heroes, was published by Oberon Books in 2011.[49]

The Lad Himself – his play about self-loathing radio & TV comedian Tony Hancock was staged at the Edinburgh Festival in 2013.[50]

Memories Of A Cad – his radio play about actor Terry-Thomas dealing with Parkinson's Disease was broadcast on Radio 4 in 2014, with Martin Jarvis as Terry-Thomas & Alistair McGowen as Richard Briers.[51]

Reno – his play about Marilyn Monroe & Arthur Miller's marriage imploding during the making of The Misfits had its world premiere at the Brighton Festival in 2014.[52]

Plum – his play about writer PG Wodehouse's infamous broadcasts from Berlin in WW2 was staged at The Court Theatre in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2014.[53]

Year of the Rat,[54] Ying Tong , Pythonesque and Kurt & Sid are published by Oberon Books.[55]

Ten Plays by Roy Smiles was published by Oberon Books in 2018. Containing his plays on Albert Camus, Richard Burton, Oscar Wilde/George Bernard Shaw, Evelyn Waugh, Tony Hancock, Lenny Bruce, the Enola Gay, the Iraq War, Marilyn Monroe/Arthur Miller & the 2011 London Riots.[56]

Ying Tong, Pythonesque and Good Evening were broadcast on BBC Radio 4. As were his plays: Dear Arthur Love John,[57] Goodnight From Him[58] and Memories Of A Cad.[59]

The Funny Girls – his play about Barbra Streisand & Joan Rivers rivalry/friendship, was first staged at The Wimbledon Theatre in September 2021.[60][61]

A Sober October – his biographical memoir on surviving bowel cancer, was published on Amazon Books in 2022.[62]

The Lad Himself – his play about Tony Hancock, had its London premiere at Upstairs At The Gate in Highgate in April 2022.[63]

Forty three of his plays are available on Amazon Books.[64]

The Lyrics – his book of the lyrics of his songs, was published on Amazon Books in November 2023.[65]

His music sites passed the target of 500,000 listens as of September 2024.

The Czech language version of Kurt & Sid was produced in Prague at the Malostranská beseda from January 2025.[66][67]

Down By The Thames, a 3 track EP, was released in November 2025.[68]

A Stranger To The Sun, a single, was released on Spotify in January 2026.[69]

The Ballads, a compilation of his ballads, was released in May 2026.[70][71]

Plays

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References

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  1. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Spencer, Charles (16 September 2009). "Kurt and Sid at the Trafalgar Studios, review". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Music | Roy Smiles". Roysmiles.bandcamp.com. 1 June 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Free Music Sharing and Discovery". Audiomack.com. 29 April 2017.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Time's Moving On". Deezer.com. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Seize the Day". Open.spotify.com. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Autumn Song". Open.spotify.com. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bremen". Open.spotify.com. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Trains & the Rain by Roy Smiles". 22 July 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023 – via Apple Music.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Northern Angels". Deezer.com. 24 July 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Free Music Sharing and Discovery". Audiomack.com.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Roy Smiles | Jamendo Music | Free music downloads". Jamendo Music.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."November's Child, by Roy Smiles". Roy Smiles. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."November's Child". Open.spotify.com. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Tales Of The Oceans, by Roy Smiles". Roy Smiles. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Tales of the Oceans". Open.spotify.com. 4 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."London Hymns". Open.spotify.com. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Go Gently (Best Of)". Open.spotify.com. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."A Land Called Home (Best of II)". Open.spotify.com. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."40 Big Hits". Open.spotify.com. 1 January 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."40 More Big Hits". Open.spotify.com. 16 January 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  21. ^ https://open.spotify.com/album/3WfDGVNdpJ1urzQklCpH08
  22. ^ https://open.spotify.com/album/1INaEBrblpOgSVVHC2BdZK
  23. ^ https://open.spotify.com/album/3DKRKdrS4VcFwSgDYdxYsw
  24. ^ https://roysmiles.bandcamp.com/album/the-folk-songs
  25. ^ https://open.spotify.com/album/32UiOseisgfsRYJhODw2Ca
  26. ^ https://www.deezer.com/en/album/924562091
  27. ^ https://open.spotify.com/album/2bRNu6bDiKI4Dnnw0jBQgi
  28. ^ https://www.deezer.com/en/album/969169911? fbclid=IwY2xjawRY6vdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVUGVacFFZMjBSbnduQVJjc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrQyunrCIjka24jK5UlmwJC912dSEYN9TxhW6ZkrDT2w3cq5i5bzB_Cb2ipt_aem_Tkn1uPr0p4UUlm1HyxjDTw
  29. ^ https://open.spotify.com/album/2Wfy5SCuXdW4EfWOHRD2Wg
  30. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Reno | Fringe Guru". Brighton.fringeguru.com. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  31. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Alfred Hickling. "Theatre review: Year of the Rat / West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds | Stage". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  32. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Review: The Lad Himself, Gilded Balloon Teviot (Venue 14)". Scotsman.com. 29 August 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  33. ^ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Pilgrim-Bobby-Kennedy-1968/dp/B0BS93Z5SK
  34. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Schmucks". Bloomsbury.com. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  35. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.The Promised Land: VE Night, 1945: 9798373977159: Books. Independently published. 16 January 2023. ISBN 979-8-3739-7715-9. Retrieved 30 November 2023. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  36. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.The Boys Of Summer: Little Green Monkey Club: 9798374167870: Books. Independently published. 18 January 2023. ISBN 979-8-3741-6787-0. Retrieved 30 November 2023. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  37. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Theatre review: The Ho-Ho Club at King's Head Theatre". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  38. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Bennett, Steve. "The Ho-Ho Club : Reviews 2006 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". Chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  39. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."BOMBING PEOPLE". Nordisk.dk. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  40. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Archive for Sick Dictators at Jermyn Street Theatre, London. 2001. [LONDON]". Uktw.co.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  41. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Pianist (2002)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  42. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Michael Billington. "Ying Tong, New Ambassadors, London | Stage". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  43. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Charles Spencer (16 February 2005). "The genius – and the torment – of Spike Milligan". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  44. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Hickling, Alfred (14 March 2008). "Year of the Rat". The Guardian.
  45. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Good Evening - Radio 4 Comedy Drama". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  46. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Edinburgh Festival 2009: Pythonesque at the Cowbarn, E4's Udderbelly, review". Telegraph.co.uk. 12 August 2009.
  47. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Theatre review: Pythonesque". The Scotsman. 2 August 2009. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  48. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."THE LAST PILGRIM To 23 October". Reviewsgate.com.
  49. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Smiles, Roy (18 October 2011). Funny People: My Journey Through Comedy. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9781849430340.
  50. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lentell, Dan (6 August 2012). "The Lad Himself". Fringereview.co.uk.
  51. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Memories of a Cad - Radio 4 Comedy Drama". British Comedy Guide.
  52. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Levy, Paul (28 May 2015). "Reno". Fringereview.co.uk.
  53. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."PLUM - A regular wheeze plus facts and irony". Theatreview.org.nz.
  54. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Theatre review: The Year of the Rat at West Yorkshire Playhouse".
  55. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Roy Smiles". Oberonbooks.com. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  56. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Roy Smiles: 10 Plays". Oberon Books. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  57. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Dear Arthur, Love John By Roy Smiles". Retrieved 30 November 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  58. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Goodnight From Him - Radio 4 Comedy Drama". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  59. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Memories Of A Cad". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  60. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Funny Girls". Timeandleisure.co.uk. 21 September 2021.
  61. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Review: THE FUNNY GIRLS, New Wimbledon Theatre Studio". Broadwayworld.com.
  62. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.A Sober October: Bottom Cancer & How To Survive It: 9798862080810: Books. Independently published. 21 September 2023. ISBN 979-8-8620-8081-0. Retrieved 30 November 2023. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  63. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Lad Himself: Tony Hancock brought to life in funny nostalgic show **". Hamhigh.co.uk. 22 April 2022.
  64. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Roy Smiles: books, biography, latest update". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  65. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.The Lyrics: The Lyrics of Roy Smiles.
  66. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Kurt & Sid | Prague". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  67. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Kurt a Sid - Malostranská beseda | i-divadlo.cz". www.i-divadlo.cz. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  68. ^ https://roysmiles.bandcamp.com/album/down-by-the-thames-ep
  69. ^ https://open.spotify.com/album/0HmtwkEagWl4rOuDv8bq1s
  70. ^ https://audiomack.com/roy-smiles/album/the-ballads
  71. ^ https://roysmiles.bandcamp.com/album/the-ballads
  72. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Gable, Jeremy (1 December 2008). "Schmucks". EDGE Philadelphia. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  73. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."THEATRE / Top of the Town - King's Head, London N1". Independent.co.uk. 22 October 2011.
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  75. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Theatre: On the Fringe". Independent.co.uk. 21 September 2011.
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  77. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Ho-Ho Club – King's Head Theatre – Your London Reviews". IndieLondon. 5 November 2006. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  78. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Good Evening: Behind "Beyond the Fringe" Audiobook | Roy Smiles". Audible.co.uk. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020.
  79. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New Zealand Theatre: theatre reviews, performance reviews". Theatreview. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  80. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Danny Dyer Plays Vicious in Kurt & Sid Premiere – – News". Whatsonstage.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  81. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New Zealand Theatre: theatre reviews, performance reviews". Theatreview. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  82. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Last Pilgrim, by Roy Smiles « Fringe Report". Fringereport.wordpress.com. 4 October 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  83. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Paul Taylor (2 November 2011). "Burlesque, Jermyn Street Theatre, London (4/5) – Reviews – Theatre & Dance". The Independent. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  84. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Cavendish, Dominic (23 August 2012). "Edinburgh 2012: The Lad Himself, Gilded Balloon, review". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  85. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Plum". The Court Theatre. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  86. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Reno". Fringereview.co.uk. 28 May 2015.
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  88. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Funny Girls - New Wimbledon Theatre Studio". 23 September 2021.

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