Some of the world's freshest comedians compete for the Stan Laurel Cup at the world's oldest surviving music hall.

In 1906, Stan Laurel made his stand-up debut at an amateur night at the Britannia Panopticon. When he told a joke about butterflies, the audience groaned. As he tried to leave the stage, he ripped his suit on the stage furniture... and the rest is history. Now we invite all-comers, whether their talent is insect puns or slapstick, to grace the Panopticon stage and compete in Stan's honour.

For an entry fee of £2, contestants will have three minutes to make an impression with their best material in front of a panel of comedy professionals. In 1906, hopefuls had to dodge a barrage of rotten veg, horse manure, fish guts and rivet punchings. We're hoping 2012's audience will be kinder!