Moran among top comedy acts for festival that offers a feast of art

COMIC Dylan Moran and British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s former spin doctor Alistair Campbell are set to be the star attractions at this year’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in Belfast.

Former miners' union leader Arthur Scargill, folk group Four Men and a Dog and a play by Lord of the Rings screenwriter Stephen Papps will also be among the highlights of the fifth festival.

Dylan Moran, who stars in the hit Channel Four series Black Books, will head an impressive comedy line-up.

Colin Murphy, Jason Byrne, Owen O'Neill and the surreal comedy of Kevin McAleer will round up a strong array of comic talent. Jerry Sadowitz, who has been dubbed the world's most offensive comedian, and San Francisco's Scott Capurro will also be appearing.

Following the huge success of its one man show, Hurricane, on snooker legend Alex Higgins, Ransom Productions are staging Protestants at the Old Museum Arts Centre a play about man's search for God.

The centenary of Bloomsday, Ireland's celebration of James Joyce's classic novel Ulysees, will be marked with a revival at the Waterfront Studio of Paddy Scully's production Shem the Pen Man.

Caitlin, a play from Wales exploring the relationship between the legendary poet Dylan Thomas and Caitlin McNamara is also being staged.

From New Zealand comes Stephen Papps' Blowing It, a comedy about cops, cannabis and criminals.

Alistair Campbell and Arthur Scargill will appear separately as part of the new Words and Ideas strand of the festival. Novelist Glenn Patterson and singer-songwriter Andy White will team up for a night of Songs and Poems and Bits out of Books at White's Tavern.

There will be a free international street theatre event entitled the Festival of Fools including a children's theatre show inside a 60-foot inflatable whale and some of Europe's top acrobats.

Tickets for the events will go on sale from tomorrow at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival office in North Street Arcade and the Belfast Welcome Centre in Donegall Place.

The festival programme will be available online and there will also be an e-mail ticket enquiry service.

There will also be special restaurant discounts available for festival-goers.