Mike Reid

RICHARD PARR

> King's Lynn Corn Exchange

Actor and comedian Mike Reid is more famously known from his days in the role of Frank Butcher, the cockney wheeler-dealer from TV's EastEnders.

But as he told his audience on Friday, he has no plans to return to Albert Square and to the role that made him a household name.

In this one man show, Reid turned the pages on his varied career which frequently saw him make the tabloid headlines.

His big career break was the popular TV show The Comedians in the 1970s, while at the same time he was making a name for himself as a regular on the pub and club circuit.

He was popular with the King's Lynn audience with his stand-up, quick-fire gag routine that was definitely for adults only. He quickly established a warm rapport with his audience and they seemingly couldn't get enough of his very non-PC patter.

With the use of a playback screen, Reid took us on a stroll down memory lane.

We saw him in his heyday on The Comedians, in numerous clips of him kissing his EastEnders screen wife, Pat Butcher, and even when he was on Top of the Pops singing his 1974 hit record, The Ugly Duckling.

Supporting Reid in the first half of the show was talented impressionist,Hilary O'Neil. She kept us in stitches as she assumed numerous identities, including Sybil Fawlty, Dame Edna, Dolly Parton and, yes, of course, Barbara Windsor.