IT may be a little early for the panto season, but this month the Manchester Apollo welcomes the twisted humour of The League of Gentlemen.

Comedy quartet Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith and Jeremy Dyson's larger than life, borderline grotesque characters from the fictional northern town of Royston Vasey will feature in The League of Gentlemen Are Behind You on October 17, 18 and 19. The writers of the BBC2 comedy believe that the deranged shopkeepers Edward and Tubbs, warped employment officer Pauline, unhinged German exchange teacher Herr Lipp and the utterly hopeless vet, Dr Chinnery, may have found their natural home.

Mark Gatiss said: "It's a great setting for us because there is a heightened element about our stuff in the first place and many sketches lend themselves readily to panto."

The show hopes to rekindle the audience participation of the group's last live tour, A Local Show for Local People. Beyond saying that the first half will feature auditions and the second half the actual panto, the writer/performer remained tight-lipped.

He said: "Suffice to say that if you're a fan, you won't be disappointed. It's like being a rock band on tour, you don't want exclusively to do stuff from the new album; you want some greatest hits in there too.

This will be familiar characters in a new situation, it's a bit like New Labour - only funny."

Tickets are priced from £22.50 and £26.50 and are available by calling 08709 913913.