Serafinowicz! Stanhope!

News of two very exciting comedy happenings came our way this week that both sound like events that will really be miss-at-your-own-peril sort of nights. And as it happens, they're on at the same venue in the space of a week - the concert room at St George's Hall. The first is confirmation of the long-awaited In Conversation with Peter Serafinowicz on April 1, the culmination of some fine work by the girls behind Club Geek Chic.

 The ex-Bluecoat schoolboy will talk about his international comedy career, which has seen him take on such varied roles as Duane Benzie, Simon Pegg’s nemesis in Spaced; a plethora of characters in his own sketch series The Peter Serafinowicz Show; and most recently collaborating with some of US comedy's biggest and best in prime time sitcom Running Wilde. Serafinowicz, who was born in Gateacre and moved to London in his early twenties, responded immediately to this ‘blast from the past’. He said “I am looking forward to taking part in this unique event, it also gives me a fantastic opportunity to return to my native city, something I rarely have time to do”. Organiser Gemma Aldcroft said: “We had to wait a while before Peter was able to confirm the actual date due to his insanely busy schedule so we are completely delighted that he is finally able to take part." The evening also takes on a live ‘Desert Island Discs’ style format featuring the interviewee’s top five song choices and performed live by five separate acts, and there will also be a Q&A session. There's less details around the second gig on April 6, that will see "American comic and alienated drunk" Doug Stanhope play the same room. Stanhope, who has been steadily building a loyal UK audience in recent years and might be best known for his spots on Charlie Brooker's Newswipe (that's his quote), isn't for the faint-hearted (I signed up for "Stanhopequotes" on Twitter the other day and occasionally throw up in my mouth a little) but although often deeply unpleasant, the man says what he says with a rare conviction that can be an amazing thing to see in full flow. Liverpool isn't a regular stop off for the comic and comes courtesy of Ceremony Concerts. Imma give you an edited snippet rather than than the full unbridled Stanhope attack: