Tim Dalling

The Unhappy King

Tim Dalling, the renowned accordionist clown from The New Rope String Band, has been let out on his own. Dare you invite him into your venue? Not only will he lead you into a disturbing and hilarious world of miserable kings, tortured jesters and the search for the happiest man alive, but he will then break your heart with beautiful songs and make you want to sing with joy.

Your lives may never be the same again.

In the first half of the evening, Tim performs The Unhappy King, a one-man show using masks, puppetry, shadows and music and, in the second half, with his soulful voice, funky accordion and comic tendencies, he woos you with a selection of his own songs and those created from the poems of Louis MacNeice, Sean O'Brien and Julia Darling.

He may ask you to sing along
    You may laugh.
        And cry.
                But don't worry.

His many years of experience as a musician, clown and actor in Kneehigh Theatre, NTC and Northern Stage and his continued international touring with The New Ropes, mean you will be in a safe pair of hands.

The Unhappy King...

"That was the best piece of theatre I've ever seen."

Anvil Springsteen

The songs...

"Like a cross between Ivor Cutler and Randy Newman"

René Rice

Mr. Dalling would like to sing you some songs. Some he will sing unaccompanied, but for most he will use the assistance of his piano accordion.

He has been entertaining audiences for many years as a musician, a clown and as an actor. His main rôle for the last decade has been the kilted fall-guy in the internationally renowned comedy-folk trio The Old Rope String Band; no longer old, he is still the kilted fall-guy, but now he is New.

Although Tim Dalling has worked tirelessly, in his career, to reduce audiences to helpless laughter, over the last few years he has been composing a body of serious songs that encompass a whole range of other emotions. Inspired by the suggestion of a friend, he started turning the moving and lyrical poems of Louis MacNeice into songs. This led to more lyrics and songs of his own, and a commission to turn poems by Sean O'Brien into songs for a Radio 3 play, The Black Path.

Ever committed to live entertainment, he is now searching for venues where he can let his songs come to life in the ears of an audience. The combination of his soulful voice, funky accordion, years of experience entertaining, and a batch of exciting, moving and original songs will make for a good night.

Why not take the plunge?