A STAR studded line-up of musicians and comedians will converge on Kendal this summer in the Brewery's new season.

Bursting with an amazing mix of some of the most exciting and innovative artists from across the UK and beyond, one of the star turns will be original punk poet, and Bard of Salford, John Cooper Clarke, playing the Kendal arts centre on June 2.

JCC’s work is as relevant now as it was in the 1970s when his biting, satirical and funny verse - delivered in a rapid-fire performance style - shot to prominences alongside the burgeoning punk movement.

For laughter fans, May is all about the Freerange Comedy festival, which takes over the Brewery from May 18-21 and features side-splitting slots from well-known names as Romesh Ranganathan (May 18); Mark Watson (May 20) and Craig Campbell (May 21).

The festival also features innovative Fringe-style shows, including Miranda Kane’s The Coin Operated Girl (May 19) about the ups and downs of her former career as a £2,000 per night call girl and Kieran Hodson’s Lance (May 21) a hilarious performance about a young cyclist’s sense of betrayal by Tour de France drugs cheat Lance Armstrong.

Kicking off the music programme on May 5, will be Mike Peters, frontman of top British punk group The Alarm who will be appearing with a new band performing a retrospective of the band’s 30 years in the industry, featuring classic songs as Sixty Eight Guns. And on May 12, ChameleonsVox take to the Malt Room stage. Fronted by original vocalist Mark Burgess, the band is the continuation of post punk giants The Chameleons, regarded by many as one of the most significant guitar bands ever to come out of Manchester.

Americana aficionados can experience the sounds rising star Lera Lynn (May 27), who performed and starred in HBO’s hit TV series True Detective, and fans of brass music will be able to enjoy two gigs providing unique modern twists on this most traditional of genres: direct from New Orleans, the Hot 8 Brass Band (May 28) will be raising the roof with their jazz-infused, funk and hip hop fuelled marching band music while The Hackney Colliery Band (June 17) combine rock, afro-beat and Balkan music in a unique take on the modern brass band sound.

The curtain raiser for the summer theatre programme will be With a Little Bit of Luck by Paines Plough (May 6), highly thought of as the National Theatre of new writing and one of the UK’s most in-demand theatre companies. With a Little Bit of Luck is a typically innovative production described as a part play, part rave, which is underscored by a pumping live garage music soundtrack.

There will be another unusual take on traditional theatre in Petrification by Telltale Theatre (June 3). The play is set in a bar and will be performed in the Malt Room where the audience will be seated in a unique bar room layout with the action taking place in and among the audience.

Meanwhile, families can enjoy an enchanting children’s adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s short story Leaf by Niggle (May 14), which features music specially composed by acclaimed Scottish folk artist Karine Polwart.

Other exciting events to look out for include the Summer Sundays programme of outdoor gigs in the Brewery garden and the return of Red Rose Harley Davidson Owner’s Groups annual Wake the Lakes Festival (July 7-9) featuring live music, food, drink - and lots of motorbikes.

As for visual arts, there's the Museum of Water (May 6-8), which the Brewery takes to the Wray Castle Boathouse as part of the Lakes Ignite cultural programme, plus the Yarns in the Yard celebration of Kendal’s culture, people and industry, due to take over the town from July 28-30.

For further information visit www.breweryarts.co.uk or telephone 01539-725133.