NEWCASTLE comic Dave Johns headlines The Burning Duck Comedy Club at The Black Swan Inn, Peasholme Green, York, on Tuesday night.

"I’m very excited to have booked Dave; he's a proper first-generation alternative comedian and a comedy circuit legend," says promoter Al Greaves. "He has more than 20 years experience of entertaining audiences all over the world, and he was the first ever promoter to introduce what at the time was a genuine alternative to the mainstream comedy circuit in Newcastle. So we hope Dave appreciates our attempt to present a more contemporary take on the concept."

Johns is a regular guest on the television panel shows Never Mind The Buzzcocks and 8 Out Of 10 Cats and has acted on the West End stage with Christian Slater in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and with comedians Bill Bailey and Alan Davies in The Odd Couple at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh.

"Dave is very much a favourite amongst many other comedians, including Bill Bailey, who described him as 'one of the most naturally talented stand-up comics you’re ever likely to see' and Sean Lock, who said, 'he's probably one of the funniest stand-up comics you've never heard of; he's the real deal'," says Al.

Fulfilling the Burning Duck brief to showcase more "experimental" comedy, Phil Jarvis will perform his character act, Malcolm Julian Swan. "Malcolm is a former performance poet, now reduced to being labelled 'anti-comedy' by the powers-that-be. He's the only Dada punk left," says Phil, whose act is inspired by Marcel Duchamp and Yoko Ono. “Come with an open mind. Treat it like contemporary art, but with no dead animals," he advises.

Welcoming Jarvis's act to York, Al says: "It’s a multi-media extravaganza which is one of the closest things I’ve seen to the interface where comedy meets art."

In the middle section will be a fusion of sketch and stand-up from the "sweetly cynical" Nicola James and the "thoughtful and meticulous" Ian Seaburn, who join forces to explore the trials and tribulations of modern life in their new double act James and Seaburn. Andy Woolston has a slot too for his candid tales of awkward encounters, his bumbling love life and his righteous fury at the world.

The 8pm show will be guest-hosted by Amy Gledhill, a finalist in the national Funny Women competition and joint winner of the Amused Moose Northern Final, whose comedy combines intelligent deconstruction with pure silliness. "Amy says she's marked as 'one to watch’, and she also says she's from Hull and WILL pinch your stuff," says Al.

Tickets cost £5, concessions £4, online at burningduckcomedy.com/ or £6, concessions £4, on the door from 7.45pm.