We have yet another thing in common, Roger. I took my second wife to see Frank Carson whilst on Honeymoon in Llandudno. He topped a bill that included The New Bachelors. I know what you're thinking, but the marriage still lasted four years. Carson was relentless! I've heard that Ken Dodd is the same, live - that these guys need to be physically removed from the stage so that the audience can go home. I'd heard so many of his jokes before, but still laughed like the proverbial drain throughout - it really was the way he told them. Marvellous night!
I've seen Billy Connolly three times in concert. There were small chunks of his performances I missed, where I vividly recall having to mentally shut down because it was hurting my face too much to laugh. I can't recall anyone else ever making me laugh so much, or so painfully.
The most delightful one though, was Victor Borge, at Dundee's City Hall. Again, I'd seen quite a lot of his routines on telly, but they were an absolute joy to watch live, and he put in just enough new material to keep the momentum going all through . Gentle, subtle, intelligent humour, uniquely performed with absolutely perfect timing. Genius is an overused word, but...
My better half had never been to a theatre in her life when we met, so I hunted for tickets nearby as a birthday treat. Best I could find at short notice was a one-man show from Dylan Moran at the small Oakengates Theatre near Telford. Seemed to go down well with everyone... except my dear partner, who dragged me out of the theatre during the interval, never to return. She was convinced that the entire audience were afflicted with 'Emperor's New Clothes' Syndrome, laughing only because they felt they should, and that the act was completely devoid of humour. Despite my protestations, the sentence, "I'm from the Black Country - when we buy tickets we expect to be entertained!", still rings in my ears.
And, no - I bought the tickets.
