Psychologist Dr David Weeks found eccentric people live longer and visit the doctor less. The Edinburgh psychiatrist and co-author of the 1995 book, Eccentrics: A Study of Sanity and Strangeness, suggests that because non conformists don’t repress their inner nature in a constant struggle to conform, they are happier and healthier.

His ten-year study of 1,000 unusual people included Joshua Abraham Norton, who proclaimed himself Emperor of America and convinced people to consider themselves his subjects.

His thesis showed that eccentrics are more creative, optimistic and cheerful than conformists. Paschale Straiton, a clown and theatre performer from Brighton theatre company Red Herring, cites his work as inspiration for a new theatrical walking tour, Funny Peculiar.

“Dr Weeks concluded eccentrics do what they want to do without worrying too much about what other people think.

“They suffer stress less arduously which means their endocrine systems are healthy so, in essence, they live longer.”

Brighton, arguably, has more eccentrics per head of population than most towns its size.

Drako Oho Zarrhazar, the subject of Toby Amies’ excellent documentary, The Man Whose Mind Exploded, was one.

He once stood naked on a plinth for a night as a piece of nightclub performance art.

Brighton’s oldest raver Disco Pete, who throws his shapes come rain or shine on the seafront, is another. Then there is the oldest stunt man in the world, The Great Omani, and Doreen Valiente, mother of the Wicca movement.

“Brighton is somewhere we really identified as a maverick magnet. We spoke to lots of people and there was this idea that because it is a holiday destination it’s a place where you can live outside the norm.”

Straiton and co-creator Ivan Faberga wanted to do a walking tour to put the audience “at the heart of the show”.

The duo will take it turns to perform the one-person show, with audio-guides and interactive action.