Roy Smiles

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),{{cite web|url=http://brighton.fringeguru.com/reviews/brighton-2015/reno |title=Reno | Fringe Guru |website=Brighton.fringeguru.com |access-date=21 January 2017}} George Orwell (Year of the Rat),{{cite news|author=Alfred Hickling |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2008/mar/14/theatre |title=Theatre review: Year of the Rat / West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds | Stage |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=21 January 2017}} Tony Hancock (The Lad Himself){{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/review-lad-himself-gilded-balloon-teviot-venue-14-1610857|title=Review: The Lad Himself, Gilded Balloon Teviot (Venue 14)|website=Scotsman.com|date=29 August 2012 |access-date=30 November 2023}} & Robert F. Kennedy (The Last Pilgrim).{{Cite web|url=https://reviewsgate.com/the-last-pilgrim-to-23-october/|title=THE LAST PILGRIM To 23 October|website=Reviewsgate.com|access-date=30 November 2023}}

His first play staged in 1992 at the Battersea Arts Centre, Schmucks{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/schmucks-9781786825162/|title=Schmucks|website=Bloomsbury.com|access-date=30 November 2023}} was about a fictitious meeting between Groucho Marx and Lenny Bruce.

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.{{Cite book|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Promised-Land-VE-Night-1945/dp/B0BS8S41DC/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Roy+Smiles+-+The+Promised+Land&qid=1679391048&s=books&sr=1-1|title=The Promised Land: VE Night, 1945: 9798373977159: Books|website=Amazon.co.uk|date=16 January 2023 |publisher=Independently published |isbn=979-8-3739-7715-9 |access-date=30 November 2023}}

A number of his plays have debuted or transferred to theatres around the world, such as Pythonesque,{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/edinburgh-festival-reviews/6017048/Edinburgh-Festival-2009-Pythonesque-review.html|title=Edinburgh Festival 2009: Pythonesque at the Cowbarn, E4's Udderbelly, review|website=Telegraph.co.uk|date=12 August 2009 }} the story of the Monty Python team, which opened in South Africa in 2008 before moving to Edinburgh as part of the Fringe Festival in 2009.{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/theatre-review-pythonesque-1-766204 |title=Theatre review: Pythonesque |newspaper=The Scotsman |date=2 August 2009|access-date=21 January 2017}}

The Boys Of Summer - his play set in a HIV ward was staged at the Old Red Lion in 1995, with Ian Bartholomew.{{Cite book|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BSJ9NGPT/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tu00_p1_i2|title=The Boys Of Summer: Little Green Monkey Club: 9798374167870: Books|website=Amazon.co.uk|date=18 January 2023 |publisher=Independently published |isbn=979-8-3741-6787-0 |access-date=30 November 2023}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/hoho-rev|title=Theatre review: The Ho-Ho Club at King's Head Theatre|website=British Theatre Guide|access-date=30 November 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/review/2006/01/01/35162/the_ho-ho_club|title=The Ho-Ho Club : Reviews 2006 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide|first=Steve|last=Bennett|website=Chortle.co.uk|access-date=30 November 2023}}

Bombing People - a farce about the Enola Gay, was staged at the Jermyn Street Theatre in 2000, with Michael Fitzgerald.{{Cite web|url=https://nordiska.dk/en/vaerker/bombing-people/|title=BOMBING PEOPLE|website=Nordisk.dk|access-date=30 November 2023}}

Sick Dictators - a farce about Chilean dictator General Pinochet, was staged at the Jermyn Street Theatre in 2001, directed by James Bolam.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uktw.co.uk/archive/London/Jermyn-Street-Theatre/Play/Sick-Dictators/L1232799328/|title=Archive for Sick Dictators at Jermyn Street Theatre, London. 2001. [LONDON]|website=Uktw.co.uk|access-date=30 November 2023}}

In 2002 he played the role of Itzak Heller, a Jewish collaborator, in Roman Polanski's Oscar winning Best Picture The Pianist.{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0253474/characters/nm0806942|title=The Pianist (2002) |website=IMDb.com|access-date=30 November 2023}}

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.{{cite news|author=Michael Billington |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/feb/15/theatre1 |title=Ying Tong, New Ambassadors, London | Stage |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=21 January 2017}}{{cite web|author=Charles Spencer |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/3637241/The-genius-and-the-torment-of-Spike-Milligan.html |title=The genius – and the torment – of Spike Milligan |website=Telegraph.co.uk |date=16 February 2005 |access-date=21 January 2017}}

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.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2008/mar/14/theatre | title=Year of the Rat | newspaper=The Guardian | date=14 March 2008 | last1=Hickling | first1=Alfred }}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/good_evening/|title=Good Evening - Radio 4 Comedy Drama|website=British Comedy Guide|access-date=30 November 2023}}

The Last Pilgrim - about Senator Robert F. Kennedy's doomed campaign for the American Presidency was staged in London in 2010.{{Cite web |title=THE LAST PILGRIM To 23 October. |url=https://reviewsgate.com/the-last-pilgrim-to-23-october|website=Reviewsgate.com |language=en-GB}}

The Lad Himself - his play about self loathing radio & TV comedian Tony Hancock was staged at the Edinburgh Festival in 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://fringereview.co.uk/review/edinburgh-fringe/2012/the-lad-himself/|title=The Lad Himself|first=Dan|last=Lentell|website=Fringereview.co.uk|date=6 August 2012}}

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.{{cite web | url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/memories_of_a_cad/ | title=Memories of a Cad - Radio 4 Comedy Drama | website=British Comedy Guide }}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://fringereview.co.uk/review/brighton-fringe/2015/reno/|title=Reno|first=Paul|last=Levy|website=Fringereview.co.uk|date=28 May 2015}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=7284|title=PLUM - A regular wheeze plus facts and irony|website=Theatreview.org.nz}}

Year of the Rat,{{cite web|url=https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/yearrat-rev|title = Theatre review: The Year of the Rat at West Yorkshire Playhouse}} Ying Tong , Pythonesque and Kurt & Sid are published by Oberon Books.{{cite web |url=https://www.oberonbooks.com/roy-smiles.html |title=Roy Smiles |website=Oberonbooks.com |access-date=21 January 2017}}

Funny People, his book on his comedy heroes, was published by Oberon Books in 2016.{{cite book |title=Funny People: My Journey Through Comedy |last=Smiles |first=Roy |isbn=9781849430340 |publisher= Bloomsbury Academic|date= 18 October 2011}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.oberonbooks.com/roy-smiles-10-plays.html|title=Roy Smiles: 10 Plays|website=Oberon Books|access-date=18 July 2020}}

Ying Tong, Pythonesque and Good Evening were broadcast on BBC Radio 4. As were his plays: Dear Arthur Love John,{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/dear-arthur-love-john-by-roy-smiles|title=Dear Arthur, Love John By Roy Smiles|access-date=30 November 2023|via=Internet Archive}} Goodnight From Him{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/goodnight_from_him/|title=Goodnight From Him - Radio 4 Comedy Drama|website=British Comedy Guide|access-date=30 November 2023}} and Memories Of A Cad.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2019/52/bbc.com/mediacentre/proginfo/2019/52/memories-of-a-cad/|title=Memories Of A Cad|website=Bbc.co.uk|access-date=30 November 2023}}

The Funny Girls - his play about Barbra Streisand & Joan Rivers rivalry/friendship, was first staged at The Wimbledon Theatre in September 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.timeandleisure.co.uk/the-funny-girls/|title = The Funny Girls|website=Timeandleisure.co.uk|date = 21 September 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/BWW-Review-THE-FUNNY-GIRLS-New-Wimbledon-Theatre-Studio-20210921 | title=Review: THE FUNNY GIRLS, New Wimbledon Theatre Studio|website=Broadwayworld.com}}

A Sober October - his biographical memoir on surviving bowel cancer, was published on Amazon Books in 2022.{{Cite book|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CJH44KYZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=AG5YKU6U7C7S&keywords=A+Sober+October+-+Roy+Smiles&qid=1695316373&sprefix=a+sober+october+-+roy+smil,aps,186&sr=8-1|title=A Sober October: Bottom Cancer & How To Survive It: 9798862080810: Books|website=Amazon.co.uk|date=21 September 2023 |publisher=Independently published |isbn=979-8-8620-8081-0 |access-date=30 November 2023}}

The Lad Himself - his play about Tony Hancock, had its London premiere at Upstairs At The Gate in Highgate in April 2022.{{cite web | url=https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/things-to-do/the-lad-himself-review-upstairs-at-gatehouse-8914510?fbclid=IwAR1hUTCyhfPvTo2WtohZ4tK4RwnhhFi4pQftWTec2AGBDABaa9GaM-gYhYw | title=The Lad Himself: Tony Hancock brought to life in funny nostalgic show **|website=Hamhigh.co.uk| date=22 April 2022 }}

Forty two of his plays are self-published on Amazon Books.{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Roy%20Smiles/author/B001JPA68G|title=Roy Smiles: books, biography, latest update|website=Amazon.co.uk|access-date=30 November 2023}}

The Lyrics - his book of the lyrics of his one hundred & forty songs, was published on Amazon Books in November 2023. {{cite book | url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lyrics-Roy-Smiles-ebook/dp/B0CNSJVFZC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=395KL12G22SD3&keywords=The+Lyrics+-+Roy+Smiles&qid=1702751640&s=books&sprefix=the+lyrics+-+roy+smiles%2Cstripbooks%2C76&sr=1-1 | title=The Lyrics: The Lyrics of Roy Smiles }}

40 Big Hits (Volume III) - was released on Spotify in August 2024.{{cite web | url=https://www.deezer.com/en/album/632590671 | title=40 Big Hits, Vol. 3 | date=20 August 2024 }}

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

Ghosts Of London, a 3 track EP, was released in October 2024. {{cite web | url=https://roysmiles.bandcamp.com/album/ghosts-of-london-ep | title=Ghosts of London (EP), by Roy Smiles }}

The Czech language version of Kurt & Sid was produced in Prague at the Malostranská beseda from January 2025. https://www.facebook.com/kurtasid/https://www.i-divadlo.cz/divadlo/malostranska-beseda/kurt--sid

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• Schmucks{{cite web|last=Gable |first=Jeremy |url=http://www.edgephiladelphia.com/index.php?ch=entertainment&sc=theatre&sc2=reviews&sc3=performance&id=83849 |title=Schmucks |publisher=EDGE Philadelphia |date=1 December 2008|access-date=8 October 2012}} – Battersea Arts Centre, London, 8 July 1992
• Roberto Calvi Is Alive & Well – Finborough Theatre, London, 14 October 1992
• Top of the Town{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-top-of-the-town-king-s-head-london-n1-1535116.html|title = THEATRE / Top of the Town - King's Head, London N1|website = Independent.co.uk|date = 22 October 2011}} – Kings Head Theatre, London, 1992
• Idiot's Waltz – Finborough Theatre, London, 9 September 1993
• The Court Jester – Warehouse Theatre, Croydon, London, 13 December 1994{{cite web|url=http://www.cix.co.uk/~shutters/reviews/94029.htm |title=Review of The Court Jester |website=Cix.co.uk |date=1 December 1994|access-date=21 January 2017}}
• Danny Boy – Etcetera Theatre, London, 1994
• The Boys of Summer – Old Red Lion Theatre, London, 11 July 1995
• Dinner with the Borgias – Warehouse Theatre, Croydon, London, 8 December 1995
• The Promised Land – Kings Head Theatre, London 1995
• Get It While You Can, A Conversation With Janis Joplin – Etcetera Theatre, London, 3 November 1996
• The Exiles (or Highgate Shuffle) – Hen and Chickens Theatre, London, 30 November 1997
• Stand-Up{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-on-the-fringe-1084195.html|title = Theatre: On the Fringe|website = Independent.co.uk|date = 21 September 2011}} – Old Red Lion Theatre, London, 23 March 1999
• Bombing People – Jermyn Street Theatre, London, 22 August 2000

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• Sick Dictators – Jermyn Street Theatre, London, 31 July 2001
• Lunatic's Tango – Hen and Chickens Theatre, London, 26 April 2002
• Ying Tong: A Walk with the Goons{{cite news|author=Michael Billington |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2004/oct/29/theatre |title=Ying Tong, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds | Stage |work=The Guardian |date= 29 October 2004|access-date=8 October 2012 |location=London}} – West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, 22 October 2004
• The Ho Ho Club (formerly Stand Up){{cite web|url=http://www.indielondon.co.uk/theatre-review/the-ho-ho-club-kings-head-theatre |title=The Ho-Ho Club – King's Head Theatre – Your London Reviews |publisher=IndieLondon |date=5 November 2006 |access-date=8 October 2012}} – Kings Head Theatre, Islington, London, 26 June 2006
• Good Evening{{cite web |url=https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Good-Evening-BehindBeyond-the-Fringe-Audiobook/B00740JD3Y |title=Good Evening: Behind "Beyond the Fringe" Audiobook {{!}} Roy Smiles |website=Audible.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028200314/https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Good-Evening-BehindBeyond-the-Fringe-Audiobook/B00740JD3Y |archive-date=2020-10-28}} – Theatre-on-the-Bay, South Africa, 2007
• Year of the Rat{{cite web|url=http://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=1012 |title=New Zealand Theatre: theatre reviews, performance reviews |publisher=Theatreview |access-date=8 October 2012}} – The Forge at The Court Theatre, Christchurch, New Zealand, 19 October 2007
• Pythonesque – Theatre-on-the-Bay, South Africa, 2008
• Kurt and Sid{{cite web|url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8831247477600 |title=Danny Dyer Plays Vicious in Kurt & Sid Premiere – – News |website=Whatsonstage.com |access-date=8 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616081828/http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8831247477600 |archive-date=16 June 2011 }} – Trafalgar Studios, London 9 September 2009
• Backstage{{cite web|url=http://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=2606 |title=New Zealand Theatre: theatre reviews, performance reviews |publisher=Theatreview |access-date=8 October 2012}} – The Forge at The Court Theatre, Christchurch, New Zealand, 30 October 2009
• The Last Pilgrim{{cite web|url=http://fringereport.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/the-last-pilgrim-by-roy-smiles/ |title=The Last Pilgrim, by Roy Smiles « Fringe Report |date=4 October 2010 |publisher=Fringereport.wordpress.com |access-date=8 October 2012}} – The White Bear Theatre, London, 28 September 2010
• Burlesque – A Musical{{cite news|author=Paul Taylor |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/reviews/burlesque-jermyn-street-theatre-london-45-6269032.html |title=Burlesque, Jermyn Street Theatre, London (4/5) – Reviews – Theatre & Dance |work=The Independent |date=2 November 2011|access-date=8 October 2012}} (co-written with Adam Megiddo) – Jermyn Street Theatre, 9 November 2011.
• The Lad Himself{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/edinburgh-festival-reviews/9494725/Edinburgh-2012-The-Lad-Himself-Gilded-Balloon-review.html |title=Edinburgh 2012: The Lad Himself, Gilded Balloon, review |publisher=Telegraph |date= 23 August 2012|access-date=8 October 2012 |location=London |first=Dominic |last=Cavendish}} – The Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Festival, 1 August 2012.
• Plum – The Court Theatre, Christchurch, New Zealand, 9 August 2014.{{cite web|url=https://courttheatre.org.nz/show/plum/ |title=Plum |publisher=The Court Theatre |access-date=21 January 2017}}
• Reno{{cite web|url=http://fringereview.co.uk/review/brighton-fringe/2015/reno/|title = Reno|website=Fringereview.co.uk|date = 28 May 2015}} – The Rialto Theatre, Brighton, 16 December 2014.{{cite web|url=http://thelatest.co.uk/brighton/2014/12/17/reno/ |title=Reno |date=17 December 2014 |publisher=The Latest |access-date=21 January 2017}}
• The Funny Girls - Wimbledon Studio Theatre, 17 September 2021.{{cite web | url=https://northwestend.com/funny-girls-new-wimbledon-theatre-studio/ | title=Funny Girls - New Wimbledon Theatre Studio | date=23 September 2021 }}

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Category:1956 births

Category:Living people

Category:English dramatists and playwrights

Category:English male film actors

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Category:English male television actors

Category:Male actors from London

Category:English male dramatists and playwrights