C, Chambers Street
5 - 31 Aug, 10:00am (10:55pm)

There'll be no holds Bard in this latest instalment of the annual Stratford-themed knockabout, served - as always - with coffee and croissants at the very start of the Festival day.  And if previous years are a guide, Shakespeare buffs and lay-people alike will find plenty to tickle their humour in a cheerful, great-value show.

Pleasance Dome
5 - 31 Aug (not 17, 24), 2:40pm (3:40pm)

We admit we're going out on a limb with this one: a brand-new piece of theatre from a little-known company, featuring puppetry, music and "lots and lots of boxes".  But the concept's intriguing; the performers already have a trophy-cabinet of awards; and the word on the grapevine is good.

The Gilded Balloon
5 - 30 Aug, 22:15 (23:15) 

It's fashionable these days to criticize the slick, professional, big-production Fringe... well, here's a powerful antidote.  It's probably the most unexpected cult success in the history of the Festival.  Believe it or not, it's Punch and Judy - and they haven't even bothered with the puppets.

Pleasance Dome
5 - 31 Aug, 1:20pm (2:25pm) 

Words can be played with; words can be misunderstood; occasionally, words can lead to tragedy, too.  That's the premise of Play on Words, this year's show from award-winning trio Three's Company.  And it's an appropriate theme - because it's their writing that makes this talented crew so special.

Underbelly's Hullaballoo
8 - 30 Aug (not 11, 18, 25), 1:00pm (2:30pm) 

Take reviews with a punch of salt?  Like to see for yourself before you make up your mind?  Then Pick Of The Fringe is made for you.  An old-fashioned variety show with a typical Fringe spin, Mervyn Stutter's now-traditional slot gives you the chance to sample a number of acts, all hoping to tempt you along to the full version of their routine.

Udderbelly's Pasture
6 - 31 Aug (not 11, 18, 25), 7:00pm (8:00pm) 

If you blame society's ills on hooded tops, you aren't going to like Tom Tom Crew.  It's got beat-boxing, break-dancing and a record-scratching DJ; it's safe to predict that it's going to be very loud.  But for the open-minded of all ages, this urban-cool line-up - completed by a troupe of bare-chested acrobats - provides a golden opportunity to try something new.