THE "alter ego" of a barrister turned lecturer in serious crime who believes Kidderminster needs more laughs is set to bring the house down at The Rose Theatre tomorrow night.

Zak Turner has been interested in comedy for a long time - having been told he should be on the stage on numerous occasions while working at the bar until 2000 - but his dream of becoming a comedian has only started to become a reality since last October.

That was after the Kidderminster 39-year-old surprised himself by winning his heat of a competition to perform on stage at the world-famous Edinburgh Festival.

Since then, he has become a regular on the comedy circuit in London and Manchester, to name a couple of places, and has co-written tomorrow night's show with Kevin Merrick, who has previously worked with the Two Ronnies.

Zak is also preparing to perform daily slots in front of discerning comedy lovers, including industry critics, at the Edinburgh Festival this August and hopes his live show at the Rose Theatre could sow the seeds for a monthly club in his home town.

As he prepared to take to the stage tomorrow, the funnyman, who described Eddie Izzard as a mainstream master of comedy, shared his life history and hopes - interspersed with witty one liners - with the Shuttle/Times & News.

"If I'm honest, I think I've got psychological problems because I have a serious daytime job but go to comedy clubs all the time," he said, explaining he did not drink, smoke, gamble or play golf and used comedy as a release.

"I love it - it's like an alter ego - I can stand on stage and just say things that would be impossible to say in everyday life," he went on.

"It's just a real high - better than drugs - because they get you in prison."

The amateur comic, who commutes to London four days a week to lecture at Buckingham and Chilterns University, described tomorrow night's event as a "comedy variety show".

He likened his job on the evening to that of an MC - cracking jokes and telling bizarre stories in between sets by fellow stand-up comedians, Nik Hill and Pat Gallagher.

"The show has also got different sketches in and what I really want to get over is that it's just a fun night out with different things," he went on. "I would just hope that people will come along and have fun."

More information and tickets for the show, which starts at 7.45pm, can be obtained by calling the Rose Theatre box office on 01562 743745. Tickets can also be bought on the door.

Further details on a host of other gigs Zak has lined up for the coming months are available on his website, www.zakturner.com