A NEW three-piece comedy group will take to the stage for the first time together next week.

The Chris Graham Variety Show, featuring performer and actor Chris Graham, musician Jane Beacher and writer and performer Val Fairclough, will appear at Voodoo Cafe, in Skinnergate, Darlington, on Friday, March 13.

The trio will perform comedy sketches and satirical songs and will also make use of improvisation and audience participation in the new show.

Mr Graham, also known as author, broadcaster and former politican Chris Foote-Wood, has previously found success on the stage with his one man show The Genius of Charles Dickens, where he takes on some of the writer’s best known characters.

However, the new show will be firmly rooted in comedy.

Mr Graham said: “I’ve been performing all my life, since I was about three-years-old.

“Two years ago I decided to make it my main occupation and I went to the Edinburgh Festival with my one man Charles Dickens show.

“Last year I performed at the Jabberwocky Festival in Darlington, a show that was completely improvised and that prompted me to come up with the Chris Graham Variety Show.

“Jane is a singer-song writer who has written all the music and Val, who I met through Jabberwocky, has written some of the sketches. I think they are both very plucky to join me on stage.”

The show will also be performed at Northallerton Forum on April 11 before taking part in the Brighton Festival.

Tickets for the Voodoo Cafe show are £5, available by calling 01325-467555.