Reach for the big time - James Innes-Smith

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, please take your seats, put your hands together and prepare to take a mesmerising trip.

Boxing dogs, pre-PC comics, yodelling country singers, comedy monks and exotic bird impressionists (recognised by the RSPB) are just some of the artistes featured in Reach for the Big Time, a collection of classic light entertainment flyers from the 1970s and 80s.

From holiday camps to corporate function rooms, end-of-the-pier theatres to cruise ships and hotel lobbies, the esoteric and enchanting entertainers featured here delighted (and at times bemused) audiences up and down the country. But, for the lucky few, 'opportunity knocked' and they really did hit the Big Time!