A CONTROVERSIAL comedy show to be shown in the region has been slammed as "appalling" and "harmful".

It was announced yesterday that Puppetry of the Penis will take to the stage at Darlington Civic Theatre on Saturday, October 6.

The two-man show involves two nude men creating genital origami on a large screen.

It has already drawn outrage when performed in the West End and elsewhere in the country, and its imminent arrival in Darlington has caused similar concern.

Although the show is accompanied by an adults-only warning, Ian Bainbridge of the Christian Institute, in Newcastle, is calling for people to boycott it.

He said: "We think its appalling and we would question why someone would want to go and see it. It's simply indecency in public.

"We are quite appalled that Darlington would choose to have this on show and we hope local people will speak out about it and it will be a flop."

The Penis Puppetry is one of the more controversial items in the new theatre season which also includes new acts at the art centre.

Debbie McGee will use some of her husband's magic to bring Phantom of the Ballet to the stage. Paul Daniels has provided all the special effects for the show, being staged in September.

Comedians including Ken Dodd, Jimmy Cricket and Frank Carson are also appearing. Neil Pearson and Nick Moran will take to the stage in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing and Paul Webb's Four Nights in Knaresborough, respectively.

Peter Cutchie, head of theatre and the arts said: "A whole range of new and exciting things are coming to the theatre and the arts centre.

"That's one of the things that make our venues so special - it's the range of work we can constantly offer.

"We are attracting audiences from up as far as Newcastle, across the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire down to York because of the range and quality of the programme."