Veteran comedian Freddie ‘Parrot Face’ Davies will join a host of acts in reviving an old British tradition at the Rose Theatre.

Variety show The Best of British will be serving up a smorgasbord of modern entertainment, including Davies and Miss Marple actor and 1960s TV icon Jess Conrad.

Davies says: “It is a very good variety show giving all aspects of the variety side, singers, magicians, ventriloquists and comedians. I am closing the bill with this one and reviving my old ‘parrot face’ act.

“We come to the Rose with great expectations of good audiences and we are looking forward to it very much.”

The show is coming to Kingston after having toured around the UK. It will feature jugglers, musical acts and comedians.

Davies says: “It has been excellent so far. It has been very well received. There are still a lot of people out there who remember variety and enjoy it.

“It is not just like going to a theatre and seeing one act but going and seeing half a dozen acts.”

Starting out as a Butlins holiday camp entertainer, Davies made a name for himself as a cabaret entertainer, appearing in shows such as the Des O’Connor Show and the Tom Jones Show.

He then went on to appear in TV programmes such as My Family and Casualty and in the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

He says his grandfather was also in the variety show scene.

“It really started properly at the end of the First World War when the few soldiers that were left came back.

“And because they had been on the continent they really wanted a more sophisticated style of entertainment,” he said.

“It is a modern-day variety show, bringing it more up to date, but still with the flavour of variety that people remember.”

Best of British; the Rose Theatre, High Street, Kingston; May 31- June 1; 7pm evenings 2.30pm matinees; £8; For more details call: 08444 821 556 or visit rosetheatrekingston.org.