A LEADING comedian is thrilled to be getting back on stage for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Arthur Smith, who lives in Balham, will be back in front of audiences at the Warren in Marlborough Place as part of the Brighton Fringe.

The show, entitled SYD, will include stories about Arthur’s father Syd Smith. Arthur will tell tales of when Syd was a prisoner of war at Colditz Castle in Germany and from the time he was a policeman patrolling London’s South Bank.

He said: “It is a show about my father and his hilarious stories. I will be singing a little bit and showing the audience some brilliant photographs.

“One of which is my father looking terrified while being kissed by a woman and him looking very scared, I go on to make a joke about how she turns out to be Mrs Thatcher.”

Not all the material will be about Syd. Arthur will also be including some pandemic, political and other jokes.

The Argus: Arthur Smith is performing at the Warren this month.Arthur Smith is performing at the Warren this month.

The show will be Arthur's first since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He was scheduled to perform at the Edinburgh festival last year before the event was cancelled.

He said: “We are doing a little tour of the show and I am happy that it will be in Brighton.

"Maybe I will go and jump in the sea one night. I will definitely be having some oysters when I am down there. I am dreaming of fishy dinners.

“I am excited to get back on stage again. I have missed performing so much I have had to get my missus to give me a round of applause every now again.

“We will do a bit of rehearsal, but you get that feeling of being scared and wondering if you can still do it, I am sure most performers will be feeling the same.”

Arthur will be performing the show tonight, tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday, with tickets costing £17.