Tribute to Andrew Siddall

Such terribly sad news. Farewell Sid, and thank you for being a wonderful creative and dedicated colleague . It has been a joy to work with you (and your talented students) including on promoting graduation the showcases over many years . You will be hugely missed and never forgotten by those whose lives you touched.

I would love to pay my respects to Sid, he was a wonderful tutor, and I had the privilege to work closely with him last year. He pushed me to be more creative in my work, and he was just an all round great person, truly saddened by his passing and I wish his family well in this difficult time.

I cannot believe I have to say goodbye to him this way.. I have always thought we will say this to each other on our graduation day. I have known Sid since foundation year, and he has been nothing but a great tutor to me. Had my first project with him, my first presentation and many, many tutorials with him. He has been there since the beginning of my journey as an interior designer and that for sure I will not forget. I am sorry I did not got the chance to show my gratitude to you, and I hope you know how grateful I am for your knowledge and support. Thank you, Sid! My heart goes out to your family, friends and genuinely anyone that got the chance to meet you! Sincere condolences!

It feels strange for all of us to find ourselves in this moment — knowing that we will no longer see you, yet feeling, deep in our hearts, that you are still alive in the spaces we walk through. Everything at the university carries a trace of you. Your energy, your humour, and your strength were a constant source of inspiration, and they will remain with us always. I still remember how, from my very first year, you nicknamed me “Trouble”: “Good morning, Miss Trouble… yes, Trouble… easy, Trouble… alright but now listen to me, Trouble.” It was your way of pushing me to give my best, even when things were difficult — especially when circumstances felt overwhelming. You encouraged me never to give up. I remember the first-year Box Project, when you told me online, “I trust you are strong enough to handle this and more.” At the time, I didn’t know it. I didn’t want to know it. I didn’t want to fight, I was tired. And yet you always knew what to say and how to say it — how to draw strength out of me and make me project it into the world. You stood by all of us, supporting every student, every wild idea, every strange and ambitious project we brought to you. One of the core lessons you taught us was exactly this: no matter what, life (exactly as university projects or art in general) moves forward. Not always in the direction you want, not always in the way you expect, but it moves — and you can choose whether to take part or to stand back and let it wash over you. Of course, you said it in a far more direct way. Most likely: “Karol, then fuck it! You can do this.” It feels unreal to think that we won’t see you in the audience at the Festival, even though all of us were hoping for it — hoping to make you proud with this R&D and with the final performance. We imagined you telling us, “Guys, this was fucking brilliant,” or something equally unforgettable and funny. We won’t see you sitting there, but we will carry you with us — in every gesture, in every piece of work we create, long after we leave this university. The way you taught us to approach art will stay with us all, shaping not only our methods, but our courage, our curiosity, and our capacity to keep going. And perhaps this is what a true teacher gives their students: not just knowledge, but a way of walking through the world — one that outlives them. We will honour you by continuing to create, to dare, and to push forward with the same fire you saw in us before we ever saw it in ourselves. Thank you, Sid. For everything.

My northern champ, honestly it made so much sense that I would find someone as gifted and beautiful as you. Every time you walked into a class the sunshine wasn’t far behind you. You honestly filled every room with warmth and safety, and I can’t believe you were took so soon. No problem was too big or too small for you, inconvenience was never an issue. The help you provided emotionally, even when I came to uni after 4 hours sleep for BOX Project, and verbally was immense. Your silly stories about the Yorkshire Ripper and when you would walk with me to get a bottle of wine at the coronet, you were a father figure when I was so far away from my home. There will never be another human on this Earth who can do what you did. From the bottom of my heart I love you so much, and cannot thank you enough for what you showed me about the world of theatre. As a fellow northerner you made me feel seen, even when I did make you question the world around you with my nonsense ideas. Thank you for all you did and all you gave. Forever and always Sidall. I hope you're up there still taking the mick out of scouse accent. Love the Scouse Prin

To my dear teacher Sid…. Your existence was love and energy, passion and a meaningful friendship, full of motivation and happiness. Watching you in each lesson was beautifully inspiring. Such a special human, capable of making life a beautiful journey and making your students understand the real meaning of existence, freedom and creativity. Thanks for every joke and moments when you were just being yourself and not only a teacher or a professional - those moments make you who you are, bringing us students to connect with you in a way that is difficult to explain but a fantastic way to experience life with others. Thanks for understanding each of us individually and as a group. For reminding us that work, profession and everything material it means nothing without connections and having fun… Your old cheeks teacher is on my memories….

Thank you for being the most kindest, heartwarming tutor anyone could have asked for. Your passion for your field of work was so strong and truly admirable. You inhabited such a kind nature and the love for your students was ever so beautiful to witness. You were such a joy to work with, and I always looked forward to your lessons. Nothing was too much to ask, and I always loved our little chats. Your smile was contagious and just with your presence the room was lit up. Thank you for teaching me invaluable skills and providing such great insight into the creative arts. My life was blessed to have you in it, and I’m so grateful for your kindness and support throughout the time I had with you in my first year of University. You truly have touched me, and I am so grateful for being able to look back on my university life and have you been a part of it. Unfortunately, you have been taken far too soon, but I have no doubt you are somewhere truly beautiful. London Met has lost a truly special person, and an undeniably irreplaceable void has been left behind. Your legacy will live on forever and people’s hearts will remain permanently touched by you. Thank you so much Sid, I will always remember you. Rest in peace now. With lots of love, now and always,

“When you spend too much time thinking about doing something, you won’t have enough time to actually do it.” For me, Sid personified that phrase perfectly. From the moment I walked into my first session with Sid, I felt like everyone was welcome in the space and I was motivated to do my best, despite having little to no knowledge of the subjects we were taught by him. There are countless projects I created and that I witnessed which would have never seen the light of day if it hadn’t been for Sid, and whenever someone was lost or confused, he would show and tell us that at some point, you just have to stop “faffing about” and just “crack on with it” - needless to say I still quote him, and, knowing myself, I will continue to do so for as long as I can. After my graduation, I was lucky enough to speak and catch up with Sid a couple of times. The first time was when I had just been turned down from a job, to which he said, a cigarette in one hand and a glass of wine in the other: “Oh well, their loss isn’t it? You’ll find something better, big man!” This was a simple sentence, but I appreciated it greatly and still do. These days I often think about the time came to help out at the Festival Showcase in 2024, since that turned out to be the last time I would ever see and speak to Sid. I will always consider him one of my biggest inspirations on my artistic journey; he helped shape the way I approach projects and tasks. An artistic career is extremely difficult and can be cruel at times, but Sid showed us that there are plenty of things we are capable of, if we put our minds to it. Even though I did not know him as a friend, I will always feel grateful and privileged to have met Sid, and it will take a long time to fully realise that he is no longer with us. His can-do attitude, quick and razor-sharp wit and his sense of humour were a gift to me, and I will cherish it forever. Thank you for everything Sid! I promise I won’t stop cracking on with it!

They say God takes the good ones first and you were one of the very best. You will be deeply missed. I feel lucky and honoured to have been taught by you, and I will cherish those moments for the rest of my life. Thank you for being present, for facing every challenge with humour and positivity. Thank you for teaching me resilience and helping me grow both as an individual and as an artist. Thank you for putting me in my place when I needed it, and for showing me that silence can be powerful. I have witnessed and admired so many of your qualities, and I strive to become as inspirational as you. From our fun days at the pub to our most creative sessions, you shaped how I see the world and you helped me build the confidence I was lacking. You will always be loved and respected by your students, Sid, and that is how your legacy will live on; strong, present, and unforgettable. It has truly been a pleasure. Rest in peace.

Sid made a profound impact on me, both artistically and personally. He made me feel seen and understood in a way I hadn’t quite felt before, and pushed me to believe in my own strengths. To me, he was an example of the type of person we need more of in the world. Creative, hilarious, curious, and wanting to make the world a little more whimsical and joyful in any way he could. I feel very lucky to have known him, and richer in life because of it.

Sid taught me for 4 years. 3 years at my undergrad and a year MA and those 4 years were filled with pure fun and laughter. Sid was the one professor that called me out when he knew something was wrong and he had this gift of making me open up and be vulnerable with him. I will forever be thankful for that because I needed someone like that in my life. I didn't just see him as a teacher, but also as a friend. I will forever be grateful for all that he taught me, he not only taught me about the course but also things about myself. You were so loved by so many people and I hope you are resting easy because you worked so hard. I will forever look at Riders to the Sea and think of you. Thank you for being an amazing mentor and friend. I love you and I will miss you forever.

Sid was an extraordinary lecturer, mentor, and human being, and his impact reached far beyond the studios and the Uni’s walls. I feel incredibly fortunate to have known him throughout my undergraduate and postgraduate studies. He loved it when someone showed up to class wearing funny-looking socks. In my third year, before we started class, he noticed our socks and chose the best pair. I love those kinds of socks too, so now, every time I pick a pair, I still think, "Sid would have appreciated these a lot." His knowledge and influence reached far beyond something as small as silly socks, of course, but that little detail has stuck with me. It is one of those everyday things that brings him to mind. His guidance and constant support shaped not only my academic journey but also who I am as a person. No matter the circumstances, Sid was always understanding, patient, genuinely caring, and one of the most wonderful and hilarious people I have ever met. He taught with a depth of compassion and wisdom, and he always had a funny story to share that somehow related perfectly to whatever he was teaching that day. His way of approaching things made me a better professional and, I believe, a better human. Through the years, the conversations we had, the advice and guidance he gave, and the encouragement he offered, Sid left a significant imprint that will stay with me forever. Words will never be enough to express the gratitude and love I have for him. I truly believe his legacy lives on in all of us he believed in, supported, and inspired. I carry his teachings with me, and through that, a part of him continues to guide me. Even in choosing a pair of hilarious socks. Thank you, Sid, for everything. You will be deeply missed.

When I first arrived at university, I was very anxious and trying to find my place, he was one of the first people who made me feel at home. He was far more than a tutor to me — he was someone I looked up to, and someone I felt safe sharing my problems with. His guidance was always constructive, and he consistently pushed me to step beyond the boundaries I had set for myself. One of my favourite memories is the very first lesson we had in which we created the Kim Kardashian sponge doll together. I also had the privilege of working with him on my final-year festival. Through all the intensity, the highs and lows, he never abandoned me and always supported me when I needed it the most. For the festival I was playing the role of a crazy detective and the most important lesson he taught me was a detective looks far more assertive with the plastic pistol in his waist than in his hands 😂😂😂. Especially on a loose trouser with a dysfunctional fake leather belt😂😂😂. I’m truly indebted to him, I will never forget the impact he made on my life, both personally and academically. May he rest in peace.

Sid, honestly, I still cannot accept it. I’m not a wordy person but this made me feel obligated. You were not that kind of person who’s easy to lose like that and generally I’m not sensitive like that. You were just the best of the people who I met on my creative journey. The best. I’ve seen so many but it’s too complicated to explain how deeply I’m sorry and hope it makes sense to write this at all. Thanks for everything. RIP. My sincere condolences

When Sid walked into a room it was impossible not to smile. It didn’t matter if it was a good day or a bad day, it was always better when he was around. He was my tutor, but he was as warm as a friend. He is one of the reasons I grew to love my craft so much. Sid taught me many things, but the one thing that will stick with me forever is that anything is possible, that there are no limits in life. I had never thought this way before meeting him. He saw every bird’s wings even if they didn’t, so he knew that they could fly. He supported me when I needed it the most, he encouraged me to do my best and always gave me a cigarette when I didn’t have one. Sid made me laugh and cherish every moment. He was so kind. He lived so honestly, it could make you cry. I wish everyone was like Sid. I will remember him every time I have a doubt. I will remember him and be sure that everything is going to be okay. I will remember him and smile.

We hope that you find this tribute to Andrew a place of comfort, support and inspiration for you to visit whenever you want or need to.

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