IN memory of Ken Dodd, who died at the weekend aged 90, we republish an interview he did with Viv Hardwick in 2011

Ken made an impassioned plea on behalf of one of his favourite UK theatres. He talked to Viv about why he's an eternal optimist and reveals why a visit to Darlington's shops is so appealing

The Northern Echo:

THE news that Darlington Civic Theatre's future is still being discussed comes as a surprise to Ken Dodd, even though the negotiations probably haven't lasted as long as the comedian's legendary long performances.

"I know we live in harsher economic times, but it will be disappointing if one of my favourite theatres disappears. If it does have to go into commercial hands I think the new management should revert to the old name of the Hippodrome because I think 'the Civic' always sounds a bit formal to me, " says the 83-year-old.

The man from Notty Ash, Liverpool, loves the Civic and is looking forward to his two-night visit next month. He says: "I always like coming to Darlington because of the warmth you get, right from the welcome of the front of house and stage door through to the audience reception. Theatre is important because it is at the heart of a town's activity.

You need places where people can go and be entertained, it's part of our heritage.

"When I first came to Darlington about 30 or 40 years ago I'd heard it was a grimy old railway town and I expected to find disused engines lying around in the streets. But it quickly became one of my favourite towns full of lovely houses and people who really enjoyed coming out for a good time."

Even so, the relentlessly cheerful old-school comic does fear one aspect of his visits to the town.

"I enjoy the little shops like Now and Then. Full of all sorts of things, little oddities, not necessarily antiques but weird bric-a-brac and I've got a house full of it. Every time I go there my partner says don't buy any more, there are only so many jardinieres and warming pans that one man can use, " he jokes. The evertouring Dodd puts his years of success down to eternal optimism and drawing his audience into a world of silliness through winning their trust.

"That's where the 'what a beautiful day' catchphrase came from. I think an audience like to be joshed.

I have always been an optimist because I don't believe with all the cynicism and sneering at things that dominates in a lot of today's comedy.

I like to start off with things like the battle of the sexes. It used to be what women said about men. 'Is that your husband with youmissus? Itmust be because I know you wouldn't knock around with anything like tha. Jokes like that break the ice, although these days it's more about what men are saying about women, " he explains.

For those who think Dodd is a man out of touch with today's world, he even slips in a joke about the recent riots. "I hear that the rioters broke into Darlington police station and smashed up the toilets. . . the police had nothing to go on, " he says, adapting his already bulging joke-book.

Dodd enjoyed appearing in Ronnie Corbett's Comedy Britain on BBC1 recently and feels that it is important to highlight the history of laughter-making. "I admire Ronnie who has come from North of the Border and areas like the North-East are also special because it has produced great comedians like Jimmy James, Dave Morris and Bobby Thompson.

This region and the North-West seem to export comedians and prime ministers, " says Dodd.

THE comedian still shows no sign of slowing down. Fans can expect a 7.30pm start to produce a show which will stretch towards 11pm, and sometimes beyond, as he tries to put every last chucklemuscle in the auditorium through its paces.

"What you have to consider is that I'm my own employer and I'm responsible for what happens on stage.

Ifeel my show is like a party which I don't like to bring to an end because people are having a good time and don't want to leave early, " he says.

Dodd also pays tribute to the current line-up for his Happiness Show - "it's not all down to me you know" - which includes magic act Amethyst and Dodd's partner, singer and musician Anne Jones.

"I also have to point out that Dickie Mint has surprised me by getting his own fan mail. People remember him from the Diddy Men who came from the jam butty mines, but now he's taken off on his own. It's just him and me chatting away on stage and I'm standing on the stage alongside him, chatting away and itmakes me doubt my sanity, " he says of working a ventriloquist's dummy.

Returning to the subject of Darlington Civic Theatre, Dodd compares a town's centre of entertainment to its football team. He glosses over Darlington FC's slide into nonleague status and jokes: "Football, what amarvellous game. It's the only place you can go and shout insults at a bunch of millionaires."