HOUNDED out!

Originally this weekend’s Edinburgh Preview at the Hyena Lounge was to have featured Rufus Hound, the comedian, television presenter and 2010 winner of BBC1’s Let’s Dance For Comic Relief. Sadly, filming commitments render him unable to do his Fringe warm-up in York.

“Instead we have the annual preview show from Hyena favourite Alun Cochrane plus a self-styled ‘heavily tattooed idiot’, Jim Smallman,” says promoter Toby Clouston-Jones.

Cochrane follows up 2010’s Jokes. Life. And Jokes About Life with his seventh Edinburgh solo outing, Moments Of Alun, an evening of thinking aloud, chat with the audience and Cochrane-style stand-up.

“While rightfully earning himself the nickname The King Of Curmudgeon, Alun has a constant twinkle in his eye and smile on his lips, which somewhat gives the game away that he’s only joking after all,” says Toby.

“He took last year’s show on a full national tour, so don’t be surprised if he returns to the Hyena Lounge in November as part of a tour where he selects venues that are within a 90-minute drive from his door step.”

Jim Smallman, meanwhile, has hit the national headlines with his bizarre stunt of having his advert for his 2011 Edinburgh Fringe show tattooed on to his chest. Then again, it is called Tattooligan “People judge me on my ink, but am I really the thug they presume I am or simply misunderstood?” Jim ponders.

“A self-confessed ‘body art freak’, Jim is powerhouse of a comedian with a barrage of cleverly crafted jokes and astounding true stories,” says Toby. “He won both Best Newcomer and Best International Show at last year’s Hollywood Fringe and his rapid ascent up the comedy ladder shows no signs of slowing down.”

• Alun Cochrane and Jim Smallman, Edinburgh Preview, Hyena Lounge Comedy Club, The Basement, City Screen, York, Sunday, 7.30pm.

Doors open at 7pm for Su nday’s double bill. Box office: 0871 902 5726 or thebasementyork.co.uk