Laura Smyth brings Living My Best Life tour to Leeds Wardrobe, City Varieties and Sheffield Leadmill

There is perhaps no better preparation in fielding hecklers than working in a classroom. It’s an advantage stand-up comedian Laura Smyth, a former teacher, has in her armoury.
By Grace Hammond
Published 1st Mar 2024, 11:45 BST

And the lesson plans have been ditched in favour of developing a routine for her debut nationwide live tour, Living My Best Life, which comes to Yorkshire throughout the year.

She will appear at the Wardrobe in Leeds on Thursday May 23, then comes back to the city for a show at the City Varities on Friday, October 25. Early that month, on Wednesday, October 9, she will be at Sheffield Leadmill.

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Laura said: “My first UK tour feels like it’s coming at the right time - I’ll be away during two school holidays! I hope everyone loves the show as much as I do. It’s honest and funny and daft.”

Laura Smyth. Picture: JIKSAWLaura Smyth. Picture: JIKSAW
Laura Smyth. Picture: JIKSAW

She had been an English teacher and has previously said in a Guardian piece that “added pressures on teachers once we returned to the classroom (after lockdowns) solidified the decision for me to jump ship”, and a a script commission from the BBC at the start of 2021 gave her the confidence to hand in her notice.

Living My Best Life explores all aspects of modern life. Fresh from tour support for Jack Whitehall and Michelle de Swarte, the show is Laura at her “uncensored and ridiculous best,” say promoters.

She explores parenting, childhood, school, marriage, social media, work, and chasing her dreams.

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It is a is a “whistle stop tour” of her life to date, including her journey into stand-up, full of anecdotes and observations as well as bare jokes.

Ultimately, she is asking how ‘living your best life’ is actually achieved.

As a comedian Laura’s TV appearances include Live At The Apollo, Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club, Yesterday, Today and the Day Before, Stand Up Sketch Show and As Yet Untitled Dave).

She has worked with David Mitchell on his Outsiders alongside Alan Davies, Roisin Conaty, Guz Khan, Judi Love and Chris McCausland.

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The comedian has also recorded appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Richard Osman’s House of Games for BBC and will hosted the southern heat of the BBC New Comedy Awards 2023.

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Laura can also be seen in Channel 4 digital series Funraisers and Captive Audience, while she has beenon multiple series of BBC Radio 4’s The Now Show and hosts podcast Bang On It with Michelle de Swarte, which won bronze in the Best Comedy Podcast category at the British Podcast Awards 2023.

A regular on the live circuit, Laura regularly plays the comedy stages at festivals such as Latitude, Reading and Leeds Festivals

Tickets are available for the Yorkshire shows and those throughout the year from laurasmyth.com

Related topics:LeedsYorkshire

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