Ken Dodd enjoys legendary status as one of Britain’s funniest comedians and has enjoyed a professional career spanning nearly 60 years. He has toured non-stop with his ‘Happiness’ Tours and has won numerous showbiz honours including the first ever ‘Living Legend Award’ from the British Comedy Society and a ‘Lifetime Achievement’ from the British Comedy Awards.
Doddy’s stand-up comedy style is fast and relies on the rapid delivery of one-liner jokes. He has claimed that his comic influences include other Liverpool comedians like Arthur Askey, Robb Wilton, Tommy Handley and the “cheeky chappy” from Brighton, Max Miller. He intersperses the comedy with occasional songs, both serious and humorous, in an incongruously fine light baritone voice.
He continues to tour and, despite his age, (he’s 87 in November) his shows still frequently do not finish until after midnight. In 2012 at the age of 84, he played the Princes Theatre in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex on 7 July. Starting at 7.15pm he continued until just before 9.00pm when Sybie Jones took to the stage. Returning at 9.30pm he continued until 10.00pm. The second support act performed until Dodd’s return just before 11.00pm when he continued until 00.25am.
I once saw him perform in Southport to an audience of somewhat sceptic professional entertainers. Within minutes he’d won everyone of them over and the night went on for the usual length of time (Until about 1am) and ended with a standing ovation and cries of “More!”
So, if you’ve got between 7pm and 1am on Sunday 8th June free, try to get a ticket to see the King of Comedy, the Squire of Knotty Ash at Wycombe Swan Theatre, But don’t complain if you miss the last bus home, it’ll have been worth it!
Ken Dodd’s Happiness Show at the Wycombe Swan Theatre on Sunday 8th June.
Box Office: 01494 512000 or online: www.wycombeswan.co.uk
