Dodd started his career as a ventriloquist - and indeed still uses the Dicky Mint dummy in his act.

However, his success came through his exaggerated on-stage persona - the manic hairstyle, protruding teeth and, of course, trademark tickling stick - combined with a relentless stream of one-liners, peppered with nonsense words like 'tattifilarious', that can - and do - entertain audiences for hours.

He built his reputation as a live performer on the variety stage, and famously logs audience reactions to jokes every night, building up a picture of what plays well where.

His career was boosted with appearances on TV, often just guest roles, but his bizarre appearance would always stick in the mind. He also has a penchant for sickly ballads, as well as his signature tune Happiness, recording several albums of love songs and notching up 19 top 40 hits, including the 1965 chart-topper Tears.

Dodd became embroiled in a tax-dodging case in the Eighties, and was eventually cleared, but the case revealed much about Dodd's eccentric private life, too.

CV

Original Review:

Well, yes. And no. There's a lot more to Doddy that you'd expect. And when I say a lot more, that's exactly what I mean.

For where many younger comics struggle to limp past the 60-minute mark and call it a full-length show, 73-year-old Dodd could talk all night. And he does. He took to the stage of Reading's Hexagon Theatre at 7.30pm and came off at 10.15pm. For the interval.

The Ken Dodd Laughter Show finally came to a halt at 12.45am - five and a quarter hours after it started. Even allowing for two very unfortunate musical turns, and the interval itself, Dodd was telling gags for three and half hours. And since he managed up to six gags a minute - that's a hell of a lot of material.

Impressive statistics, for sure. But what of the material? In that time how many times did he rattle out such well-worn catchphrases like 'how tickled I am' or 'what a wonderful day for..'? Once.

You cannot fail to be impressed by the man's sheer craftsmanship - the sort of skill only half a century on stage can bring. He never once lost the audience, from either fatigue or a misfired joke. Even though the occasional punchline was almost inaudible, you still hung on his every word.

The show has its faults, and plenty of them to the modern ear. But it didn't really seem to matter. And certainly Dodd's audience - of which the vast majority were certainly of pensionable age - had no gripes.

I must admit I never thought I'd be quite so impressed. I went with a completely open mind, but my heart did sink when a naff two-piece cabaret band struck the opening chords of 'Happiness' and the self-styled Squire Of Knotty Ash stomped on, wiggling his feather dusters between his legs, to the obvious delight of most the audience.

Yet, after running through the niceties of his catchphrases, Dodd quickly hit his stride.

Certainly, plenty of the material seemed old-fashioned, rather than just plain old. Dodd relies on the audience sharing his common comedic language of the saucy seaside postcard or Carry On film as a kind of accepted shorthand. Women are busty beauties or sour battleaxes, vicars are easily shocked prudes - that sort of thing. And there was plenty of knob and tit gags in thinly disguised double entendres. Which, I'm ashamed to say, worked very well.

Other references, too, dated him. Demis Roussos's fame didn't outlast 1976, yet he still made an appearance. But, in fairness, others were more up-to-date: John Prescott's punch and Pokemon.

The variety element didn't help either. You could easily imagine Vic Reeves announcing 'Britain's leading lady trumpeter'. But here she was in irony-free person, fresh from a cruise ship, and she 'entertained' for half an hour.

Dodd, too, indulged. He appeared for one mercifully short segment in silly cat and furry coat, wittering on about 'Ticklemas Eve', he sang the truly saccharine ballad 'For The Children and later returned with Diddy Man Dickie Mint for a tired old ventriloquism routine. He even broke off for a series of announcements of birthdays in the audience. The fact we were congratulating Mabel and Nellie perhaps indicating Dodd's demographic.

All very cheesy, as was his unsubtle habit of inserting the word 'Reading' into every other gag to ingratiate himself with the home crowd - who, it has to be said, willingly lapped it up.

Yet the show avoided this light entertainment hell, thanks to Dodd's continual switching of styles.

He was at his best when talking - as a stand-up two generations younger would - about himself and his own experiences. His frequent gags about the taxman packed an added punch because we know the background. And the funniest moments come from the self-deprecating gags about the length of the show ('a feast of fun - and a challenge to the kidneys').

And then, of course, there are the puns. Sprightly wordplay surfaces at every opportunity, building into an unstoppable machine, grinding down every resistance. By the end, you're laughing hardest at things that just don't make sense, yet it doesn't seem to matter. Suddenly lines like 'I loved that little china donkey. It only had three legs and one eye, but you could tell it was a donkey' seem the funniest gags in the world.

And that's Dodd's strength. You're always with him, and eventually he will break down your resistance. It's the sort of stagecraft every comic should study. I've lost count of the number of comics I've seen go along the front row asking punters what they do for a living, but seeing Dodd do it with such lightning and genuine wit (and without ever being cruel - that wouldn't be his style) is astoundingly impressive.

You clearly don't have a long a career as Dodd simply by relying on a few naff catchphrases. Where most entertainers his age might be happy slinking off into semi-retirement, Dodd is still relentlessly gigging, demonstrating night after night that he has mastered the art of stand-up like nobody else has - or probably ever will.

Skip to page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

just watched an audience with Ken Dodd. What a fantastic man he is a true artist, one in a million and he has been around all my life but still makes me laughx brilliant

carole gilbert, December 2012

To those who don't find Doddy funny, have your sense of humour bypass reversed!

Claire, June 2011

We went to see Ken at Potters at Hopton Norfolk and could not hear anything as the sound system was useless. Sad as we have seen him at proper theatres and enjoyed ourselves with his humour, but not so this last time.

Roy Batley, May 2011

My granddaughter, daughter and myself went to see Ken tonight in Liverpool, sorry we went - should have kept the old memories, left an hour into the show (after hoping it was going to get better) which it never did. I think its time Ken bowed out gracefully now.

Amanda, December 2010

Ken Dodd. Brilliant is what he was on Sunday October 10th at the Grand Blackpool. Perhaps a few of the audience got withdrawal symptoms as there was no filth or foul language. Just cheeky jokes and witty stories. What a lovely change. Carry on the good work Ken. So sorry we had to leave a little early as the car park closed at 12.30 am. We would have been prepared to pay double the price.

S Padgett, October 2010

Watched Ken at the Whitley Bay Playhouse August 2010 and he was simply marvellous.

Phil, August 2010

Ken is the most funniest man on this earth, and he does indeed need a fitting title as Sir Ken. He's the funniest loveliest man and I just love him to bits.

mrs lynne wills, July 2010

He's incredible. Saw him in Cardiff a couple of years ago and he was on stage for the best part of five hours firing gags non-stop. The real deal.

Matthew, April 2010

Skip to page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8