Raw talent on show

Some people would measure the worth of an award by the number of years it has been around. In that case, Hackney's gong, which has been dished out since 1990, scores highly.

But tonight's final of the Hackney Empire New Act Of The Year Award also strikes a good balance between rawness and experience. Unlike the Perriers, competitors need only a short, tight set rather than an hour-long show, and plenty of those who take the mic already have stage or competition experience.

Tomorrow's final will feature 15 new comics, whittled down from more than 100 applicants, whose talents make for a night of stand-up, sketches, magic and probably a few impressions too. But with the majority of their names unfamiliar to most of us, why pay £8.50 to see them?

The show's appeal lies in its unpredictability: there's an undeniable buzz when an act pulls something really special out of the bag. The endlessly entertaining Arthur Smith returns as host.

And if any of this lot go on to a career as big as some finalists - Daniel Kitson, Matt Lucas, Simon Pegg, Ardal O'Hanlon, Ronni Ancona, Dylan Moran, Rob Newman and David Baddiel - you can be very smug in the knowledge that you saw them first.

Tomorrow, Hackney Empire, 291 Mare Street E8, 8pm, £8.50, £7.50 concs. Tel: 020 8985 2424. www.hackneyempire.co.uk. Rail: Hackney Central