Ken Dodd

The Alhambra

You've got to hand it to a man who, at the age of 90, can keep a packed audience in stitches for nearly five hours.

Sir Ken Dodd walked onto the Alhambra stage on Saturday, armed with his tickling stick, at 6pm - and by 10.45pm he was leading a singalong of Happiness to a standing ovation.

It felt quite a privilege to see this veteran comic in action in the year he was knighted.

"It's wonderful to be here," Doddy told his packed audience, adding: "At my age it's good to be anywhere."

By the end of the first half he'd delivered a solid two-hour set, with the gags coming thick and fast, interspersed with occasional songs, including his chart-topping classic, Tears.

He's as sharp as a tack; enjoying lively banter with members of the audience - "50 shades of beige" he beamed - and remembering the names of people he'd singled out an hour or so later.

Doddy has been performing for over half a century, and the quickfire gags are still coming. "Politicians are like a baby's nappy - they should be changed regularly, for all the same reasons." He even threw in an Inland Revenue gag.

Peppered among the one-liners were his delightfully bonkers stories, occasionally a bit saucy (although never offensive), occasionally surreal, (not least a conversation between giraffes), and, having played in Bradford practically every year since he starred in the Alhambra panto back in 1954, he included some affectionate references to the district too.

You're in for the long haul at a Doddy gig, and he made light of his legendary mammoth stand-up gigs. "What time is it? 10.30pm? Oh, we've barely started," he grinned.

Variety is the spice of a Ken Dodd show - it's the world he came from and he still has great affection for. On the bill were Andante, a talented duo of musicians who played an array of instruments, including the banjo, recorder, even a wobbly saw (you had to be there), and impressive magic act Amethyst.

Also making an appearance was Dickie Mint, the Diddyman who got a loud cheer from loyal fans. He and Doddy sang a duet, which took me back to my childhood watching the Diddymen on telly, when I thought Knotty Ash was a made-up place.

Sir Ken ended with a touching song called Thank You, in tribute to his audience.

What a night. What a man. The last of the old-school comics, holding court for longer than anyone else I can think of. A real treat.