THE Great Yorkshire Free Fringe will present the Burning Duck Comedy Club Showcase on three nights in the Tea Pot, in Parliament Street, York.

AT 8.45pm tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday, the Free Fringe will turn the spotlight on a variety of the best acts that have performed at Burning Duck, York's new regular alternative comedy night run by Al Greaves.

Tomorrow night will be compered by Sean Morley, who will introduce University of York graduates on their way to the Edinburgh Fringe, such as the insurmountably inspirational Stanley Brooks, the charmingly chatty Lucy Walters and the resentfully self-aware Michael James, a runner-up in this summer's Burning Duck Student Comedian of the Year competition.

Saturday night's host will be playful Geordie Si Beckwith, with other acts awaiting confirmation. Sunday night will be steered by MC Edy Hurst, presenting acts from Manchester's Quippopotamus collective of silly comedians, as well as introducing Joby Mageean, who faces a busy day.

Joby will be among the finalists in the Great Yorkshire Fringe New Comedian of the Year 2015 Final in the White Rose Rotunda at 5.30pm, compered by Rob Beckett. After six years of the Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year in London, festival founder Martin Witts has brought the competition to York for a new contest to find the best emerging comedians from Yorkshire and beyond.

Looking ahead to Sunday's Burning Duck night, Al says: "We're very pleased to have booked Joby Mageean. His Edinburgh Fringe preview show Billy No Immune System was a highlights of our recent Woodsduck Comedy Festival. We appreciate his unwavering commitment to the ukulele, and we wish him the best of luck in the New Comedian final."

Delighted to be a late addition to the York festival, Al adds: "The Great Yorkshire Fringe has promised to bring the 'weird, wise and wonderful' to Yorkshire, qualities which we also look for when we book our acts, with the particular emphasis on 'weird'. So we're thrilled that the festival has given us the opportunity to showcase some of our best acts in its intimate Tea Pot tent, which is of a similar size to our regular venue in the Black Swan Inn.”

Tickets can be bought in advance for £3 on 01904 500600 or at greatyorkshirefringe.com to guarantee entry; entry is free for any spaces left, with a contribution at the end for performers.