Review of Another Audience With Ken Dodd

Introduction

The Audiences have been a staple format with London Weekend Television for some time now. A celebrity is given 90 minutes or so on stage with an audience of his peers, and we get a varied mix of entertainment, as well as some questions and answers from a few more notable c-listers. The most recent of these has been An Audience With Donny Osmond, but other notable celebrities have included Kylie Minogue, and well that`s it. It all depends on your definition of celebrity. You tend to tune in for your favourites and tune out the others, in my case I definitely gave Jimmy Tarbuck a miss, and did Martine McCutcheon do one of these things? I don`t know. But one celebrity I made a point to tune in for was Ken Dodd. Most definitely a comedian of the old school, I always find his sense of humour, the kind to tickle, ahem my funnybone. As far as I know, Ken Dodd is the only celebrity to actually do two of these performances, and when the chance to review Another Audience With Ken Dodd, I found myself looking forward to the DVD goodness.

Video

A travesty of a transfer greeted this reviewer. Absolutely no effort has been made with this disc. The picture format is a woeful 14:9 letterbox aspect ratio. It looks like the version that was transmitted on the analogue terrestrial ITV network last year and I assume that a properly framed 16:9 version does exist somewhere. Even 4:3 would be better than this. The presentation is even worse, and it feels as if the programme has been taped straight off the television judiciously cutting out the adverts. Every so often, the "Another Audience With Ken Dodd" title appears in glowing golden letters and a postcard announcing the next section (and allowing for a costume change) is flashed up. The title then reappears and it`s on with the show once again. Coincidentally, these are at the same places that adverts were broadcast when the show was first transmitted. The colours and image are sharp and strong enough and there is no technical problem with the transfer, but truly this is a pitiful presentation.

Audio

A DD 2.0 Stereo English soundtrack is perfectly clear and the punchlines are clearly audible at all times. In another oversight, there are no subtitles whatsoever on this disc.

Features

Extras? Are you kidding? Accept some chapter selection screens (no pictures) and be grateful.

Conclusion

Laughter is universal but comedy isn`t. What appeals to one audience may leave another cold, and no doubt you will know if you are a Ken Dodd fan or not. Personally, Ken Dodd leaves me in stitches, and this disc is no exception. Ken Dodd may have had a period where he wasn`t in vogue, and an ill advised role as a Bus Conductor in an episode of Doctor Who may be a symptom of that, but all that changed when the Inland Revenue came knocking on his door in Knotty Ash. His well-publicised problems with the taxman not only brought his name into the limelight once more, but it also gave him even more material. Another Audience sees Ken Dodd once more regaling a celebrity audience with anecdotes, quips, one-liners, gags and general ridiculousity. Admittedly the celebrities in the second audience are more c-list than before, with the ubiquitous performing Hamiltons once again doing their absurd double act, and Anne Widdecombe bringing her mum, Ahhh! Les Dennis is there before his much-publicised psychological and flatulent breakdown on Big Brother, and Claire Sweeney lurks behind Frank Bruno. Most of the rest are the kind of celebrity that has you thinking, "I know the face but…"

The truth be told, this isn`t quite as funny as Ken Dodd`s first audience, but the belly laugh quotient, and the tears running down my face as well as the painful aching cheeks testify to how much I enjoyed this performance. Ken Dodd simply wears down your defences with an incessant barrage of jokes. His quick wit and perfectly timed delivery guarantee that even if you laugh at one joke in ten, you`ll still be laughing for 90 percent of this show. He truly embodies the tradition of variety, and he entertains us with ventriloquism, singing and of course laughter. He`s still as fit as a fiddle and has a warm twinkle in his eye that appeals to audiences of all ages, and his humour reflects that. His jokes may be saucy, but they are never offensive and there is something for everyone in his performance.

Content aside, everything else about this disc reeks of a cynical cash in. A woeful transfer, that appears to be taken directly from the TV transmission is perhaps the greatest crime, but the fact that there are no extras whatsoever is shocking considering the £19.99 price point. Additionally, I couldn`t find hide nor hair of that 40 minutes of unseen footage. The programme was pretty much as I remember from last years transmission. I`m pretty sure I`m not mistaken. In fact I can see no benefit whatsoever to owning this on DVD as opposed to VHS and I never though I would say that. A near Christmas release date just ties a ribbon around the whole cynical package. I was thoroughly entertained by 95 minutes of sheer hilarity, but the disc left a sour taste in my mouth.