Dave Spikey ready to prove words don't come easy in Wirral show (From Wirral Globe)

Dave Spikey ready to prove words don't come easy in Wirral show

9:53am Wednesday 30th January 2013 in News By Craig Manning

DAVE Spikey returns to Wirral in a show which pokes fun at the misuse of english later this year.

The acclaimed funnyman and presenter, who played cabaret star Jerry St Clair in hit Channel Four comedy Phoenix Nights, will be on stage at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton as part of his Words Don’t Come Easy Tour on Saturday, March 16.

The show is Inspired by the response to his deconstruction of song lyrics in his "Best Medicine Tour”, which came to Wirral in 2009.

Among his subjects are tongue-tied parents explaining the facts of life, adolescent chat-up lines, weird hospital speak, learning a foreign language and an extended selection of song lyrics that range from the lazy through surreal to the ridiculous.

Looking forward to returning to Wirral with this show, Bolton-born Dave told the Globe "It's a show that’s always evolving and to be honest this tour seems to have been going on forever, but it’s a great show and the first time I've brought it to New Brighton.

"In fact, I think it’s better than the 'Best Medicine Tour' I did, because that took ages to put together and featured stuff from Phoenix Nights.

"I've always been fascinated by English, it's the one thing I excelled at in school. There are loads of examples of its misuse that just crack me up.

"For example, I had a granny who was like the late northern comedienne Hilda Baker on acid.

"She took me to school on the first day and left me at the gates. I asked her 'how long am I here for?'

"She replied 'until you’re 18' and walked off. I was traumatised. It's things like that, where a simple word can change the meaning of a sentence which really interest me.”

The show also features a section which reflects on relationships.

Dave continued: "There’s a song with the lyrics 'I'm sitting alone, with my head on the phone, thinking of you ‘til it hurts'.

"Whenever I hear that I think 'I'm not surprised your head's hurting, get your head off the phone, you'll give yourself a headache'.

"The other song that tickles me is Vanessa Williams' 'Save The Best For Last' which features the lyrics 'Sometimes the snow comes down in June, Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon'".

Dave was chief biomedical scientist in haematology at The Royal Bolton Hospital and gave up 30 years in the NHS to become a full-time comic.

It was a decision that has certainly paid off. He leapt to fame in Phoenix Nights, and has been a regular on our screens.

He was team captain on Channel Four quiz 8 Out of 10 Cats and a regular host on the station's TV Book Club.

Off stage, Dave has turned his attention to writing - teaming up once more with Neil Fitzmaurice, his Phoenix Nights collaborator, for a series on ballroom dancing, set against the backdrop of a Blackpool hotel.

He has also been asked to write another serving of Magnolia, the comedy drama first shown on BBC1 Comedy Playhouse which starred Ralph Ineson, who played David Brent’s friend Chris Finch in The Office, as an ex-con turned painter and decorator.

On his career he said: "It's worked out very well and I'm fortunate enough to still be very busy, working on a lot of projects. 

"I love comedy and how it evolves. Like any art, and I hesitate when calling comedy an art, you get some snobbery and a bit of elitism.

"There are people who criticise observational comics like myself, Michael McIntyre and John Bishop, saying that we are not the same as cutting edge comedy. I think that's terrible."

Tickets for the Floral Pavilion performance on March 16, which starts at 7.30pm, are from the box office on 0151 666 0000 or www.floralpavilion.com