GREAT Yarmouth Market Place is to be taken over by an array of zany street acts aiming to surprise shoppers with the weird and wonderful as part of the town's first Out There festival.

GREAT Yarmouth Market Place is to be taken over by an array of zany street acts aiming to surprise shoppers with the weird and wonderful as part of the town's first Out There festival.

Artists from all over Europe will be presenting work ranging from mischievous, giant seagulls - beware of your chips - to the Keystone Kops and manhunting Ugly Tarts.

Other acts performing on Saturday, November 1, include the Strangelings and their daredevil trick cycling, Theatre of Adventure, serenading people as they walk along the street, and SwizzleShaker, mixing circus skills and comedy in a cocktail bar setting.

The afternoon street theatre will be one of the highlights of Out There, which will transform the Market Place into a festival village from October 31 to November 2.

The varied programme, put together by the town's SeaChange Arts charity at a cost of more than £180,000, will begin on the evening of Thursday, October 30, with the Stone Gods, made up of former members of Lowestoft band The Darkness, playing at the Ocean Room, in Gorleston.

The same evening, a chamber ensemble from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will join singers, dancers and film-makers from as far afield as Portugal and Finland for Four Corners in the Round, a feast of sound and vision at the Yarmouth Hippodrome.

Portuguese “sound sculptor” Joao Ricardo will be performing with his orchestra of Yarmouth College students - all playing instruments created out of rubbish from the borough's municipal tip.

As part of the show, people are being recruited to be part of a community choir. Corrina Giles, from SeaChange, said: “It does not matter if you normally only sing to the cat or into your hairbrush. Here's your chance to shine.”

Other highlights of the festival, expected to draw more than 60,000 visitors over the three days, include internationally renowned tightrope walker Didier Pasquette walking 15m above the Market Place at 6pm on the Saturday, and an international music day on the Sunday with top-class artists from all around the world performing in a giant marquee.

Latin-inspired Dende Collective will show the fruits of their collaboration with local artists with a series of performances of their C-Attack show, bringing together dance, samba music, costume and theatrical performances.

On the Friday and Saturday, French group Les Alama's Givres will perform the UK premiere of their comic show - which takes a zany look at what happens when petrol runs out - on grass in front of the former St George's Theatre.

SeaChange chief executive Joe Mackintosh said: “We have an inspirational programme of entertainment featuring artists from across the world.

“With more than 100 artists involved and the majority of entertainment being outside and free, Out There 2008 promises to be a fantastic, fun, family-friendly festival.”

Anyone interested in joining the community choir is invited to call Corrina Giles on 01493 846187.

Visit www.outtherefestival.com for more information.