BOOSTING its popularity, accessibility and audience appeal, the RSC has yet another mini festival launching next week - this time providing audiences with a different sort of a Shakespearean comedy.

The RST's caf bar in Stratford is being transformed into a late night comedy and music club and is welcoming top performers on stage from next Wednesday, September 21, to Saturday, September 24.

The writer behind Alan Partridge, Armando Iannucci, is giving his first stand-up gig in nearly 15 years on Wednesday as one of a triple bill of performers.

He is joined by Mark Watson who was a hit at Edinburgh with his show Fifty Years Before Death and the Awful Prospect of Eternity where he ages a year every 60 seconds.

The third act is Making Fish Laugh, where Alex Horne and Tim Key recreate experiments carried out in 1976 when scientists gathered to discover exactly what makes people laugh.

On Thursday, Andy Zaltzman and John Oliver bring their Edinburgh 2005 satirical show Political Animal to Stratford.

The next night sees a double bill of entertainment led by Hipsters, Flipsters And Finger Poppin' Daddies, Knock Me Your Lobes with Lord Buckley where actor Jake Broder recreates an evening with the legendary Lord Buckley, jazz cabaret father of stand-up comedy.

Sally Starshine is the other performer lined up - the alter ego of RSC company member Stewart W Fraser, who is currently appearing in A Midsummer Night's Dream and a Comedy of Errors.

On Saturday, East End hip-hop duo The Mitchell Brothers will be taking the mike and will be interpreting some of Shakespeare's songs.

Tickets for all the evenings are £5 each - call the box office on 01789 403492.