Prepare for tickling all night long (From Cotswold Journal)

Prepare for tickling all night long

12:04pm Thursday 9th July 2009

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KEN Dodd brings his very own brand of fun and laughter to Malvern Theatres next week with his Happiness Show.

The comedian regularly packs theatres all over Britain with his marathon shows, which rarely finish before midnight, and retains a massive fan base after a showbusiness career spanning more than half a century.

The clown with sticking out teeth and sticking up hair – not to mention his famous tickling sticks – promises far more than a laugh a minute, usually several in fact, cramming in as many jokes as he can.

Despite his advancing years he still manages a gruelling schedule of about 150 shows a year.

A comedian whose particular brand of variety is not often seen on television these days, he commands huge loyalty from his fans and some shows sell out within hours.

Apart from the sheer length of his shows another feature is that Dodd never swears. He is a comedian who is not interested in the shock value of four-letter words and what he describes as “satire, sneering and cruelty” are also absent.

The son of a coal merchant from Knottyash, near Liverpool, prefers a straightforward bit of fun.

His first real break came in 1954 when he appeared at the Nottingham Playhouse. By 1958 he was topping the bill in Blackpool.

As a singer he released Tears in 1964, which became a huge hit and sold more than two million copies and earned him two gold discs.

At the peak of his popularity in the 60s he had a record-breaking 42-week run at the London Paladium and also established a TV career with Ken Dodd’s Laughter Show and Ken Dodd and the Diddymen.

Tickets for the Happiness Show in Malvern on Wednesday and Thursday, July 15-16, cost £17.50.

To book, call Malvern Theatres on 01684 892277 or book online at malvern-theatres.co.uk.

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