"We've got two aerial acts, one anarchic clown, a strippy act and a great singer," reveals Dirty Diamond Revue compere Chris Cresswell. "We've got a real mix - I think there's room for anything."

The leader of the Voodoo Vaudeville theatre company brings his cast of filthy puppeteers, twisted cabaret performers and experts of the bizarre back to their spiritual home at the Komedia following a tour of the hugely popular show.

You could be forgiven for suspecting that a venture famed for providing such a simmering cauldron of fantasy, fetish and masochism could only find genuine affection in Brighton, but the group's blend of theatre, comedy and dance has proved profoundly successful in less traditionally liberal climes.

A spontaneous stage invasion by the crowd following a recent show in Colchester justified Cresswell's view that audiences are seeking more than "just one person telling jokes" these days.

"There's a huge revival in burlesque and everybody seems to be jumping on the bandwagon," he observes, his enthusiasm qualified by a concern that the genre is being diluted.

"In America it means stripshows, in Germany and France it means comedy - but for a lot of people in this country, particularly in London, it seems to just mean dodgy people getting their kit off at the weekend."

While such words could easily describe certain scenes played out across Brighton every weekend, the increasing number of devotees providing training programmes and naughty nights of risque entertainment in the city rarely results in anything short of compelling theatre.

"I'm constantly amazed by the things people do," admits Cresswell, eager to provide "a circus of wonderful acts".

"I love the human condition. We've watched people pierce, electrocute and set fire to themselves over the years. We've got a guy coming to take part this time who's a pretty wild performer and ends up naked on stage with a lit firework up his arse.

"I imagine we've had a few singed sphincters in our time."

Starts at 8.30pm, tickets cost £10 and £8, call 01273 647100.