AN anti-cuts comedy featuring sketches, songs and stand-up will tour the region in the run-up to the General Election.

The Accidental Activist has been story-lined by North-East playwright Ed Waugh, whose national and international comedy hits (co-written with Trevor Wood) include Dirty Dusting and Maggie's End, which involved the death of Margaret Thatcher.

Top Newcastle-based stand-up comedian John Scott and South Tyneside-based comedy writer John Gibson have provided additional material for a show that has the backing of the Durham Miners Association, the national RMT union, Durham and District NUT and South Tyneside Unison.

Scott writes and hosts a monthly show at the Stand Comedy Club, in Newcastle, which was seen by Waugh, who came up with the Accidental Activist.

"It's a bit like a cross between The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists and Citizen Smith with a little Russell Brand hoyed in," says Scott

"We've called on Russell Floyd from EastEnders, The Bill and Maggie's End to star and direct, and enlisted North East actresses Rachel Adamson, an award-winner in the play Motherland, and Sammy Dobson, who was in Byker Grove and Joe Maddison's War," he adds.

The story is about how comedian Johnny Snowball (Russell Floyd) wants an easy life but, confronted by more government austerity measures, reluctantly enters the battle to fight the cuts.

* Tour dates (all shows start at 7.30pm, tickets £10): April 27 and 28, The Stand Comedy Club, Newcastle 0191-3009700; April 30, The City Theatre, Durham, DH1 3RA, 0191-384 3515; May 1, Westovian Theatre, South Shields, NE33 2JS, 0191-454 4167; May 2, The Dun Cow (Head of Steam), Sunderland, SR1 3HA, 0191-567-2262 or 07854048155

Viv Hardwick