Press clippings
Andrew Bird named Comics' Comic 2023
Stand-up Andrew Bird has been awarded the Best Comic title in the Comics' Comic awards. Barry Dodds was named Best MC, James Alderson took the Best Independent Promoter title, and Outstanding Achievement to UK Comedy titles were posthumous awarded to Tony Allen, Andy Smart and Gareth Richards.
British Comedy Guide, 8th January 2024Fringe gets Andy Smart tribute show
Raising money for the charity Crisis, a special performance will take place this weekend at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in memory of and tribute to late comedian Andy Smart.
British Comedy Guide, 8th August 2023Gilded Balloon Teviot to close for Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Gilded Balloon Teviot will be closed during the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe, the venue's artistic directors have confirmed. Katy Koren and Karen Koren have also revealed that the future of their prestigious new act competition, So You Think You're Funny? is under threat and have instigated a policy of only booking female comperes for rowdy late-night gig Late'n'Live.
British Comedy Guide, 24th July 2023Andy Smart obituary
"I've never planned a career - it's just happened, by being optimistic and making the most of each opportunity that life throws up."
The Telegraph, 27th May 2023Fringe will be a less cheerful place without improv comedy master Andy Smart
Andy Smart frequently outshone household names of comedy, writes Vladimir McTavish.
Paul Sneddon as Vladimir McTavish, Edinburgh Evening News, 27th May 2023Andy Smart dies aged 63
Comedian Andy Smart has died unexpectedly at the age of 63.
British Comedy Guide, 17th May 2023Comedy Store Players improvised show to stream online
The Comedy Store Players, the UK's longest-running improvisation team, will be putting a show online for the very first time since they started in 1985.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 18th May 2020Book review: A Hitch In Time by Andy Smart
Hopefully there will be another instalment that details that transition into comedy - for Smart is a hugely engaging writer with a simple but effective style. Though it surely helps that he has stories aplenty from such a life full of escapades.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 3rd September 2019Andy Smart recalls his most memorable gigs
'The audience thought it was hilarious, but it was terrifying!'
Andy Smart, Chortle, 25th July 2019Preview: Been there, done that, back & doing it again
There's a school of thought that the Edinburgh Fringe is a Young Person's Game. But actually in recent years it has become an older person's game too. Maybe they are the baby boomer generation who can afford to lose a few grand every August or maybe they just love the thrill of the Fringe and the art of stand-up. Whatever the reasons here are some comedians who know the game inside out and are the collective epitome of a safe pair of comedy hands. And no, they are not listed in descending order of chronology. We'll not be having any age before beauty here. Some of them might not be doing a full Fringe run, but at their age I think we can allow them a few days off. Click on their names for their dates and ticket details.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 22nd July 2019