RICHARD Herring is the top draw, but look out for comedy stalwarts Bennett & Osborne on Sunday's under-card at The Other Side Comedy Club.

The Bird and Fortune of York, Michael S Bennett and Paul "Ossie" Osborne were partners in sketches in Five In A Taxi in the early 1990s and later formed the double act The Two Tones, finishing second behind a certain Peter Kay in the BBC New Comedy Awards northern final in 1997.

Renaissance man Bennett hosted the Comedy Shack, the Other Side Comedy Club of its day, at the Bonding Warehouse from February 1992 to November 1993 and now runs the Richard III Museum in Monk Bar and has co-written the pub boffin's pop-quiz book Anorak Of Love. Osborne returned to the stage in March to take the lead role of reluctant lothario Guy Jones in York Settlement Players' production of Alan Ayckbourn's A Chorus Of Disapproval, sparking the comeback.

"It was Ossie's idea to get together again, partly because he'd so enjoyed doing A Chorus, and partly because he'd mentioned his comedy past to his Settlement colleagues, whereas I've hardly mentioned mine at all," says Michael.

This is a low-key return. The press release from Other Side promoter Dan Atkinson - who is forgivably too young to remember their past - merely says "Bennett and Osborne will do the middle bit".

That middle bit will be four sketches in 15 retro minutes. "There's a slight Tony Christie factor here because it could come to nothing, and we don't want to do what we did ten years ago, just slogging around the circuit," Michael says.

"Like Bob Dylan, we're going through the back catalogue, recycling the greatest hits and trying to make them unrecognisable, and like Tony Christie, we'll be playing to a new generation because I don't think anyone who goes to the Other Side will have heard of us. We've got nothing to lose."

Billing themselves as The Mouse Pack, they will be joined by Ossie's partner, Anna Kestevan, for their Brief Encounter spoof. "That sketch is currently celebrating its 15th birthday! We rehearsed it on Monday night at Ossie and Anna's house and even after 15 years it's still funny," says Michael. "It's all a bit surreal but if it goes well, we'd look to do some more shows. Looking at our back catalogue, there are eight classics...and about 50 fillers, but then how many great tracks did Ray Charles record? As with most legends, we've done a lot of rubbish!"

Bennett and Osborne make their comeback on a sold-out bill, between Bristol newcomer Jon Richardson and headliner Richard Herring, once part of Lee & Herring and latterly co-writer of the Sky/Paramount sitcom Time Gentlemen Please, with Al Murray, alias The Pub Landlord.

Doors open at 7.30pm for Sunday's 8pm start in the City Screen Basement Bar. For returns only, ring 01904 541144.

Updated: 16:45 Thursday, May 26, 2005