Whether it was caused by the lengthy lunch at Sara's Tearoom, there was a soporific air surrounding the members of Generik Vapeur as they prepared for their starring role in Great Yarmouth's Out There festival.

Whether it was caused by the lengthy lunch at Sara's Tearoom, there was a soporific air surrounding the members of Generik Vapeur as they prepared for their starring role in Great Yarmouth's Out There festival.

But laid-back French will be transformed into explosive performance at 6.30pm on Saturday when the Marseille-based street arts company - blue-painted and carrying oil drums - bring their show Bivouac to England for the first time.

The show, described as a piece of nomadic theatre combining music, fire and spectacle, bizarrely ending with a car crash - has been enjoyed by audiences around the world for more than 20 years.

Troupe member Kevin Morizur said the appeal of the show, which will see them parade from St George's Chapel to the seafront, transcended national barriers and already this year they had performed in places as far afield as Korea and Belgium.

With three days to go, they were still welding the finishing touches to more than 120 drums and getting ready for rehearsals with local volunteers who will join them in the show.

More than �200,000 has been spent on the third Out There festival and organisers are hoping to beat last year's attendance figure of 50,000.

Throughout the weekend, about 25 acts will be performing in St George's Park in a festival described as 'two days of the weird, the wonderful and the truly out there.'

Darren Cross, a spokesman for organisers SeaChange Arts, said: 'There are more than 120 performers coming from places as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, France, Ireland and the UK.

'Out There has become established as the largest free street arts festival in the East of England.'

Festival manager Mike Martins, who also orchestrates the country's largest street arts festival, the Winchester Hat Fair, said: 'I am used to working with old established festivals and it is exciting developing new audiences.'

He said their aim in future years would be to expand the festival to take over the whole town.

Other acts joining Generik Vapeur in the park include Malik Diouf and Charles Perriere who are masters of the street craze parkour, comic trio Chamboule Toutheatre, juggler the Great Dave and formation shopping trolley team Granny Turismo.

On Saturday night Norwich-based group Bo Nanafana Social Club will be appearing at the seafront Atlantis Arena from 9pm for an evening of western swing, bluegrass and country music with a twist.

Youngsters will be performing in an urban arts showcase Slam Stage event on Saturday from 2pm.

For full information on the Out There Festival, which starts at 11am on Saturday and noon on Sunday, visit its website at www.outtherefestival.com