ON Saturday Madness legend Suggs brought his new show What A King Cnut to Dunfermline’s Alhambra Theatre, writes our Theatre critic Kerry Black.

Well known for his singing and songwriting skills, Suggs proved himself to be an accomplished raconteur, holding the entire audience in the palms of his two tone hands as he regaled them with hilarious tales of his rascally upbringing.

The simple stage set consisted of a giant throne, three large lights on stands and a piano at the side of the stage, complete with his pianist Deano.

Suggs was brought up in a North London council estate with his mum, a jazz singer. Over the years, it is common knowledge that he finally discovered that his troubled father who had abandoned them when he was a child, had actually died.

However, the big surprise at the heart of this show, lay in his discovery of a long lost sister too.

In late 70s Britain there was little chance of youth employment and Suggs trod the usual boring path of “apprenticeships”, in an area littered by petty thievery and crime.

Along with a bunch of his pals they decided to form a band inspired by the Ska music they heard in their local area. The only drawback being that most of them could neither afford nor actually play instruments!

However, with the help of a battered old van, they were soon on the road to stardom via many manky dance halls and University Unions!

Suggs credits his wife and daughters for their attempts to keep him on the straight and narrow. Unusually for pop royalty he has been married to the same woman and stayed in the same Hackney home for over 30 years! Fame has brought benefits, such as VIP premiere events, but he is well aware of the pitfalls and tragedies that litter pop’s highways too.

The whole show was interspersed with his hit songs, proving their autobiographical roots. From Camden squats to Celebrity yurts at Glastonbury, this dyed in the wool Chelsea football fan, has seen it all. When the show opened he was wearing a wig which he used throughout the show to great comic effect in his mad tales of boozing, Brian May and badgers!

Having lived through the Madness era, I was expecting to see many graduates of Dunfermline’s Northern Roadhouse and Well there. However, the audience was a fascinating mix of two tone fans in the obligatory pork pies hats and black and white tee shirts and tops, soul club members in printed hoodies and even a man in a Madness fez!

Suggs is a clever man, he may have danced on the roof of Buckingham Palace and been bounced about on a bus in the London Olympic Opening Ceremony, but inside he is still the Nutty Boy from London, grateful to still have a career after 40 years of Madness, mayhem and real hard work. Long Live King Suggs!