The Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts has added a new programme to provide variety to younger audiences.

The Dahn de Hill fringe festival will debut along with the annual festival, but will highlight poetry, comedy and jazz. There will be readings of Bermudian written poetry, a comedy show featuring Bermudian Jonathan Young and John Oliver, from the Daily Show, and two nights of jazz staring Tony Bari on keyboard, Chalky Virgil and Stan Gilbert on Bass, Ronnie Lopes and Tootsie Bean on drum and Gita Blakeney-Saltus on vocals.

The Dahn de Hill fringe festival will take place from January 21 to January 30 at the Daylesford Theatre with two comedy show showings at both 8.30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Festival chairman, John Ellison said: "There is not much activity going on in Bermuda late at night, especially in the winter. With the Dahn de Hill Festival, people can go to dinner and then catch the later show."

Mr. Ellison added: "The 2009 Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts tickets have been selling extremely well."

Tickets go on sale today at www.bermudafestival.org.

"They will also be made available simultaneously through both BdaTix retail locations at Transact on Internet Lane, Reid Street, Hamilton and Picture Perfect, at Heron Bay Plaza, Southampton."

In order to ensure as many people as possible have an opportunity to buy tickets for the Serious Stand-Up portion of the fringe festival featuring John Oliver and Jonathan Young, tickets for these performances will be restricted to four per transaction.

"As always, we encourage people to buy their tickets early to avoid disappointment," he said.