ONE of the region's biggest comedy festival returns with a hoot of a line-up serving up a hefty helping of hilarity.

Top comedians Katy Brand, Jenny Eclair and Tony Law, along with some up and coming fringe favourites, will congregate at the Brewery Arts Centre for the Freerange Comedy Festival which runs from next Monday until Saturday, May 15-20.

After his sell out show ‘Lance’ last year, comic Kieran Hodgson will be returning to Kendal arts centre with his new five-star rated show Maestro (May 20), which is about a symphony that maps the ups, downs and unexpected twists of his love life down the years.

The popular laugh out loud gathering sees George Egg, the ‘Anarchist Cook,’ make his first appearance at the Brewery on May 16. The foodie face of comedy's debut at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2015 was driven by his unforgettable and popularised YouTube culinary skills. His use of implements found in basic hotels to produce extravagant three-course meals, form the base of this innovative amusing show with extra bite.

George is a stand-up comedian and a passionate cook with an anarchic approach to making meals. His show is a surreal mix of stand-up, striking innovation and extreme multitasking. While performing an hour of comedy George prepares a three course meal using just the equipment you’ll find in a hotel room. And those who want to, can taste it at the end.

This year’s festival will also see Scott Gibson take to the stage with his hugely successful show Life after Death (May 18). In 2016 he stormed the Edinburgh Fringe, winning the Best Comedy Newcomer Award.

Life after Death tells the story of how following a brain haemorrhage, the Glaswegian threw in the towel at his call centre job to have a crack at comedy.

The festival will also present a new comic play Stand Up Stand Up! on Monday, May 15, written by the internationally acclaimed and award-winning Jim Cartwright. The dark, hilarious and heartbreaking tale tells the story of an unlikely alliance between a bailiff and a comedian.

True comedy maverick Bob Slayer will return with his BlundaBus in the Brewery garden between May 18-20. The award winning pop-up comedy theatre and bar on a converted double decker bus, will host a variety of comedy acts, including Bob Slayer’s NeverMind the BusStops, Ed Night: Anthem for Doomed Youth and Lucy Hopkins: Powerful Women are About, with more comic acts to be announced.

Additionally, to ensure that everyone is catered for, Comedy Club 4 Kids is returning on Saturday May 20 (1pm) with some of the best sketch and stand-up acts form the international circuit to create an entertaining day out for the whole family, but most importantly to make the children chuckle.

Katy Brand's I was a Teenage Christian show plays the Brewery on Wednesday, May 17; Tony Law's brings his A Law Undo His-elf What Welcome to the Kendal venue on Friday, May 19, and Jenny Eclair puts middle age under the microscope on Saturday, May 20 in How to be a Middle Aged Woman (Without Going Insane).

For further information and tickets for Freerange visit www.breweryarts.co.uk or telephone box office on 01539-725133.