Birmingham’s Old Joint Stock Theatre is playing host once again to a season of Edinburgh Festival preview shows this month.

The series, which runs until July 18, kicks off on Monday with a double bill Patrick Monahan and Alun Cochrane, while Wednesday sees Jason Cook returning to the OJST with his new show FEAR!

Patrick Monahan’s last show My Kind of People was about his quest to find people just like himself – a non-drinking, non-smoking, Irish-Iranian Teessider. The new one is called Cowboys and Iranians.

Alun Cochrane’s droll observational humour makes him a favourite warm-up act for better-known TV comedians, but he scored a hit in his own right at Edinburgh with a Perrier newcomer award nomination.

Sessions start at 8pm and tickets cost £10 from agencies or £9.50 direct from the theatre.