That's the way to do it Professor Addrian

One of those entries would surely have to be if you've been to a Punch and Judy Show by the Amazing Professor Addrian.

To be fair you could easily add to that if you remember seeing Professor Addrian ride his colourful bike down the High Street or if you've had a balloon animal made by Addrian.

The list goes on.

To say the entertainer is as iconic a fixture of the town as Jumbo and the Roman Wall might be stretching it a little, and would no doubt embarrass the man himself, but for thousands of Colcestrians both big and small, many a happy hour has been spent in the company of Professor Addrian and his magical puppet-based world.

Now there's a chance to spend a few more this weekend at the Colchester Arts Centre when Addrian puts on his rolling Edwardian Entertainment Extravaganza.

So what is a rolling extravaganza?

Well in a nutshell it's Addrian's chance to show off all his puppets, gadgets, side shows and tricks in a performance that continues throughout the day as he steps from one attraction to the next.

Watch Madam Fifi the flea leap into a pool of water, see the kaleidoscopic effects produced by the magic lantern, then compare the antics of Mr Punch with his Dutch cousin Jan Klassen and play with replica Edwardian toys - all in one day.

"It is a performance that you can join at any point," Addrian says. "You can arrive at any time, perhaps during the flea circus then watch all the separate entertainments and when the flea circus comes around again you can leave or stay and watch it all again.

"I've been wanting to do it for a while, combine all of the things in my different shows, but I've never been given the opportunity. Thanks to the arts centre, now I have."

Born in the East End of London, Addrian by his own admission 'wasn't very interested in anything much'.

"I almost became a vicar," he laughs. "I was captivated by the theatre of church but then I grew up.

"After school I still had no idea what I wanted to do so I worked as a butcher for a while until I moved out of home and came to Colchester."

To be precise the North East Essex Technical College where Addrian studied drama.

"Where I learnt I couldn't act," he grins, "which it must be said was a good lesson to learn early in my career.

"My very first Christmas there I got a casual job working as a scene shifter in the Mercury for their pantomime production."

Starting off there in the early Seventies, after a brief spell travelling abroad, Addrian returned to the town and the Mercury where he slowly worked his way up through the backstage staff.

"The next pantomime I did," he continues, "I asked the stage manager at the time, who was a lovely guy called Ian McMillan, whether there were any full time jobs going and half an hour later I was employed. I started right at the bottom, sweeping the stage, but then moved into doing the sort of jobs assistant stage managers would do until finally I got the job of deputy stage manager. In the end I was there a really long time, well into the Eighties, before I got another deputy stage manager's job at the Theatre Royal in Norwich."

Eventually Addrian had had enough of the theatre and decided to set about making toys but due to new regulations coming in for manufacturers, his small fledging business couldn't cope with the added extra costs, and so he gave that up to concentrate on his new passion for street entertaining.

"I've been doing it for more than 30 years now," he says proudly. "I performed for the very first time in Culver Square and I used to do a lot of work for them in the early days."

Since then he has been a firm fixture at fairs, fetes. birthday parties, weddings and even the Harwich to Hook of Holland Ferry.

"It's one of my longest running jobs," he tells me. "Every summer, six days a week for 14 weeks, for thousands of kids. I'm now seeing those kids as parents bringing their children along but I've told myself I'm not giving up the job until I see the grandchildren of the children I first performed to.

"Over the years I've done thousands of Punch and Judy shows, to just three little girls, right up to 600 kids and their parents at a Royal Anglian Regiment party here at the Colchester Garrison.

"I'm really excited about this new show at the arts centre. Over the last couple of weekends I've done various elements of it, first at the Puppet Centre in Glasgow and only last weekend at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, which I always enjoy. Still there's nothing like doing a show in your home town so all I need now is lots of lovely people to come and see it."

The Amazing Addrian presents an Edwardian Entertainment at Christmas is a relaxed show which means it's particularly suitable for those with autism or learning difficulties. There's no need for silence and people can leave and re-enter the space during the show if they wish.

It takes place tomorrow from 11am to 3pm with doors opening at 10.30am.

Tickets are priced £4.95 and refreshments are available throughout the show so you can have a drink or a bite to eat while you watch.

For more information contact the box office on 01206 500900.