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	Pleasance Courtyard (venue website) Comedy 3-6, 8-12, 14-19, 21-25 Aug, 12:45pm-2:15pm
Recommended for age 14+ only.

Take reviews with a pinch 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 lunchtime slot gives you the chance to sample a number of acts, all hoping to tempt you along to the full version of their routine.

The original and still the best of a number of similar shows, it's the 22nd consecutive year for Pick Of The Fringe, a remarkable feat of longevity that's earned it a special status in regular Fringe-goers' hearts.  Packing in seven or eight short extracts a day, it runs the whole gamut of Fringe entertainment – and as well as giving ideas for future ticket purchases, it's an entertaining event in its own right.  Mervyn Stutter himself, resplendent in a trademark pink jacket, is an old-school but amiable host, following up each five-minute extract with a chat-show-style confab with its performers.

The show's been through a few different venues over the years, but it's settled back now at the Pleasance Courtyard – arguably, the ideal place to take the pulse of the Fringe.  The 12:45 start slots nicely into the start of the Festival day, and you get 90 minutes’ entertainment for less than you’d normally pay for a bare hour.  All in all, this good-value show fully justifies its fame... and who knows, you might just unearth your own "Pick of the Fringe" there.