Charles Hutchinson introduces the second York Comedy Festival and talks to headlining act Omid Djalili about comedy, burning out, being in the movies and acting with Whoopi.

Name: York Comedy Festival

Occupation: Week-long celebration of comic talent, old and new, in theatre and bar, cinema and square

Age: Two. Last year was the inaugural event

Dates: June 5 to 12

Organisers: Sharp-suited Stone Soup duo Tom Sharp and Andy Milson; endearingly scruffy philosopher and Other Side Comedy Club host Dan Atkinson

Big names: Omid Djalili, Ken Dodd, left, Nick Revell, Andy Parsons, Adam Bloom, Dave Spikey, Donna McPhail

New names: Perrier nominee Chris Addison and "comic psycho babe" Natalie Haynes, City Screen, June 10; Duncan Oakley, one guitar, half a brain and a couple of pints, plus Glaswegian comic Ayesha Hazarika, at The Independent, June 11

The one to watch: Rhod Gilbert, deadpan Welshman, winner of National Talent Hunt last year, City Screen, June 8

For children: Walter Swanton's Punch & Judy, Monks Cross, June 6

Expect anything: Anarchic Time Team satirists Howard Spencer Mosley and Richard Massara take unsuspecting York visitors on The Walk, their misguided tour through "the dribbling cesspit that is this fair city's history"

More history in the mocking: Jorvik Lite at Friargate Theatre, York. Jorvik Viking Centre has invited six budding comedians each to squeeze 1,000 years of Jorvik tradition and archaeology into spoof ten-minute history lesson

The week's best drama: Knock-out National Talent Hunt, at Harkers, culminating in June 12 grand final, hosted by Donna McPhail

Stinking thinking: Viking Poo, lecture on less sanitary side of Viking history by Dr Andrew Jones, Archaeological Resource Centre, June 10

Food for thought: New Zealand musical spoof duo Flight Of The Conchords, Glenn Wool and meal at Marzano restaurant, Lendal, June 9

The French are coming: Priorite a Gauche ponder merits of British culture in night of cod Europop, City Screen, June 11

Horsing around: Look out for Comedy Festival entertainment at York Races on June 12

Website: www.yorkcomedy.com

Updated: 08:58 Friday, May 28, 2004