BLACK comedy comes to York this weekend at the Saturday Night Lounge at The Duchess in Stonebow. Headliner Bethany Black to be precise.

In 2015, she was cast as Helen in Russell T Davies's multi-channel television shows Cucumber, Banana and Tofu, where she became the first trans actress to play a leading role.

Bethany has appeared in Doctor Who too and her career as a professional stand-up comedian stretches back to 2004, with her debut show, Beth Becomes Her, losing out to Sarah Millican in the Best Debut category at the Leicester Comedy Festival.

Opening the 8pm show will be North Easterner Jason Cook, as seen in television adverts for Jacob's Crackers and nPower. "He's always a hugely popular act with the Hyena Lounge Comedy Club crowd and his sheer energy and superb material make his time on stage fly by," says promoter Toby Clouston-Jones.

Best known for creating, writing and starring alongside best mate Chris Ramsey and Vic Reeves in two series of the BBC sitcom Hebburn, Cook has performed his stand-up on Russell Howard’s Good News and Dave’s One Night Stand and at clubs and festivals all over the comedy world.

Rob Mulholland makes his long overdue Hyena Lounge debut this weekend, fresh from being a finalist at last month’s Leicester Comedy Festival Act of the Year and winning the 2014 Harrogate Comedian Of The Year prize. "One of the fastest-rising comics in the north, Rob is a very odd man who's much less creepy than he looks," says Toby. "He's very tall and very funny."

Danny Deegan returns as Saturday's compere. "He mixes witty audience banter with humorous material," says Toby. "Mostly about being a bloke from Bury living in York."

Tickets are on sale at £14 on 01904 641413 or at hyenalounge.com or at £16 on the door from 7pm.