The excellent British comedian Will Smith has just finished a run of his latest stand-up show, 'Misplaced Childhood', at the Edinburgh festival.

More detailed information can be found here :-

www.chortle.co.uk/edfest2005/willsmith.html

Well worth investigating.

e-mail to S.A. from Will himself :-

"It was a great run, and celebrity guests included Fish (twice), Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant AND Vanessa Feltz!

For those of you that missed it, there will be a London run before the end of the year, and a tour next spring."



Some very recent reviews :-


“One of the most reliably excellent comedians in Edinburgh...if anyone deserves a television series, Smith does.”

INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY


“Never less than hilarious...genius.”

FEST


"Smith's material is gold...tear-jerkingly funny."

METRO


“Topical, intelligent but above all hilarious.”

THREE WEEKS


"If Will Smith is not on the Perrier short list announced on Wednesday, the judges should have their heads examined. Misplaced Childhood has everything a hit should have. It is elegantly structured, blissfully witty and features a central performance that is so polished you can see your face in it.


Smith's crisp, audio-visual monologue is inspired by his adolescent love of neo-progressive rockers Marillion. Two decades on, he is still fixated. He proudly explains how he even landed an interview with singer Fish. Clips hook the audience in as the vocalist gradually realises Smith is more stalker than fan.


It does not matter that Fish is obviously in on the gag. Smith's buffoonish persona - grudge-bearing, obsessively deluded and posh - reels in waves of laughter. Further fun comes from a history of the Eighties band scene in his native Jersey, a world full of axe-hero wannabes and haircuts worthy of Spinal Tap.


The devil is in the detail. Throwaway early asides, such as the reason for his nickname Brolly Boy, later take on greater significance. Here is a man who can make a psychologically scarring mountain out of getting a molehill-sized detention in 1987. A minor spat with a rival musician has also left an Everest of a mark.


As with last year's hour, also about settling petty squabbles, seemingly disparate strands are tied together at the denouement with the authority of a Hollywood screenwriter. Smith definitely deserves an award. If not for a first-rate gig, then for admitting he has such terrible musical taste."

EVENING STANDARD

I've heard nothing but great reports about this and and I know that several people closely associated with Marillion have been to see it and loved it.

Not seen it myself though

silver wrote on 9^th Feb, 2006 at 9:00am:


Yeah, he sure is Silver. I can't wait to finally see Will's show.