Jo-Jo Bellini: This And That - A Late Night Tasty Delight (Jo-Jo Bellini)
Jo-Jo Bellini bursts into the room oozing with confidence and does not stop. A striking figure in red silk dress and sparkling jewels, Jo-Jo proves to be the perfect host: cheeky and full of charm, she sings loud and proud to Tom Jones classics, all while cooking up a delicious storm (samples are provided) and dancing with great enthusiasm; this is multi-tasking on another level. Her cabaret style vocals and exaggerated expressions up the comedy factor, and the songs are carefully chosen for their lyrical relevance to the stage of cooking. Utterly bonkers, and at times rip roaringly hilarious, plus, Jo-Jo's erotic use of butter and vegetables is something to behold. Nigella Lawson eat your heart out.
The Stand Comedy Club 3 & 4, until 16 Aug. 
tw rating 4/5 | [Louise Mason]

CHILDREN'S SHOWS

Shakespeare Untold: Romeo And Juliet (The Party Planner's Tale) (Shakespeare's Globe)
An adaptation of this classic love-story: the story we know, the characters we don't. It's told through the eyes of the best party planner in Verona, and, using her musical voice and bubbly personality, Sally Lofthouse develops a lovely warmth and rapport with the young audience. It's a very simple sort of production, relying on the power of story-telling and the relaxed performance of our host, who manages to make everyone feel at home in her company. The play smartly capitalises on interaction with the children, and uses enough modern references to keep us hooked, but might perhaps benefit from more creative design; the pink set could put off the boys a bit, though the engaging fight scenes will no doubt win them back.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 31 Aug
tw rating 4/5 / [Stephanie Withers]

COMEDY

Moby Alpha (Charles In Association With Fringe Management)
Outer space is not the most obvious place to set a retelling of Moby Dick. You also probably wouldn't expect a stage show to be entirely lit by LEDs inside the actors' headgear, but this is a performance that likes to play with the audience's expectations. It charts Captain Ahab's obsession with Moby Alpha, a great white energy cloud which looks a lot like a whale.  'Moby Alpha' is an intelligent but niche piece of theatrical comedy, paying homage to sci-fi and pop culture as well as literature, though while the performances are confident and engaging, in places they lack energy. This show is certainly an imaginative and enjoyable one, even if some of the references evade you.
Assembly George Square, until 31 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Vicki Baron]

Paul Sinha: Postcards From The Z List
Paul Sinha's lovely left wing liberalism charmed me at his latest stand-up show, in which he explains to his audience what it's really like to star on ITV's 'The Chaser', and the difficulties he's encountered when negotiating the world of the minor celebrity. Sinha's consequent rejection of celebrity culture, coupled with his very genuine and straightforward personality, provides an amiable and accessible hour of good storytelling comedy. Occasionally it felt like Sinha wasn't really going anywhere, but he always managed to bring everything together and provide a coherent set where the jokes never felt jammed in for the sake of some kind of laugh-a-minute-ometer.
The Stand Comedy Club, until 30 Aug
tw rating 4/5 | [Robert Stevens]

Chris Stokes: Altruism In Birds
Chris Stokes starts off his stand up set in the same room as last year, with the same opening joke as last year. He plays in 'the hottest room in the Fringe' up in the Attic at Pleasance, and though he tells his stories in a soothing and introverted tone, Chris Stokes' hour of introspection can make an unreasonably warm room feel like a furnace. Since his last show Stokes has had a divorce, a nervous breakdown and an unwelcome encounter with an injured seagull, and this feeds a well crafted series of tales through which Stokes proves himself to be a fabulous storyteller. Yet the laughs, if steady, are modest. Instead of the quiet intensity that introverts usually exemplify, Stokes simply comes off as quiet.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 30 Aug
tw rating 3/5 | [Robert Stevens]

Dan Lees: Brainchild (Dan Lees)
This proved to be a rather entertaining and ridiculous hour, as Dan Lees attempted to answer some of the complex questions life brings up, in the most unconventional of ways. It's physical comedy all right, and when Lees finally does speak, the piece begins to get even more complex. You'll meet several interesting characters during the course of the show, all of which Lees performs with genuine passion and gusto. The show relies as much on the audience's willingness to take part as it does on Lees' ability, and once this group of show-goers had settled into the rhythm of things, the laughter began to build. Leave your inhibitions at the door to truly enjoy this eccentric performance; a basic knowledge of cheese would also help.
Underbelly until 31 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Ben Shannon]

James Acaster: Represent (Phil McIntyre Entertainments)
This is my third year seeing James Acaster at the Fringe, and my fourth following his stand up career. During this time, I've watched him grow up from a (purposefully) arrogant young sprite into one of the most confident stand ups in Britain today. 'Represent' is proof that Acaster has finally honed his style and matured into a master of his trade: his hour of highly scripted drivel is the best structured and most intelligent set I've seen this year, and it's a delight to see Acaster's initial smugness combine with his outrageously absurd stories. Just like his show, Acaster's career has followed the three act structure of 'Macbeth'. Catch him before he goes mad.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 30 Aug
tw rating 5/5| [Robert Stevens]

DANCE & PHYSICAL THEATRE

Balletronic (The Ballet Revolucion Company)
Balletronic is experimental without being pretentious, and goes from modern to classical, surprising to familiar, crisp to gutsy, from one twirl to the next. Purists can have their pirouettes and point shoes, and the rest can have a violin solo delivered as if it were classic rock guitar. I haven't ever seen the fusion of contemporary and traditional ballet pulled off so successfully on such a large scale. Both solo and ensemble work was of a meticulously high standard, costuming and props were excellent; my favourite dance was one that integrated cables. It's not necessarily cutting edge or deeply challenging, but this is ballet for everyone – audience, dancers, and the fantastic live musicians are all having fun.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 31 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Lucy Diver] 

MUSIC

Buzzology (The Buzztones)
Dressed in endearingly mismatched suits and busting out some of the most embarrassing dad dancing you'll ever have seen, The Buzztones certainly know how to embrace their uncool. Their unaccompanied music is interspersed with small sections of comedy and interaction, although some attempts are more successful than others. Nevertheless, their arrangements of contemporary classics are complex and varied while individually they each shine to produce some incredible solos. Highlights include a rendition of The Spice Girls '2 Become 1' in a French accent and an enduring love for alpaca facts (a bit bemusing, yes, but all becomes clear at the end of the set). It's not your typical acapella experience, that's for sure.
Gilded Balloon, until 21 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Stephanie Gray]

THEATRE

Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons (Walrus Theatre)
Imagine a world in which words were limited; so limited that you couldn't even sing the opening theme tune to your favourite 90s TV sitcom without going over your quota for the day. This is the premise of 'Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons', but this is by no means all it is. A show about communication, how we use language and what we can say without it; about a relationship, about beautiful beginnings, and complicated compromises. The audience surround the space from 3 sides, creating an intimate setting for a piece which is heartfelt, gentle and simple: the only thing that joins the 2 actors on stage are microphones. Worth watching for the impeccable choreography alone, the show is beautifully acted, tender and real.
Zoo Southside, until 22 Aug
tw rating 4/5 | [Bethan Highgate-Betts]

The Last Kill (Contemporary Theatre Scotland)
'The Last Kill' offer post-traumatic stress disorder in soldiers some well overdue dramatic exposure, and it's an excellently rendered look into the beaten mind of a war-trodden soldier. A tricky subject matter is supported by an outstanding script and thoughtful direction: Contemporary Theatre Scotland accurately places an audience inside a deteriorating mind to intelligently negotiate the mental aftershocks of war. It's by no means a perfect play: certain scenes felt slightly awkward and Gary Quinn's acting sometimes lagged in comparison to his writing. Yet I was ready to forgive the play's mistakes, as they didn't impinge too much on a daring piece of gritty new writing which, for the most part, met its ambition with triumph.
Greenside at Nicholson Square, until 29 Aug
tw rating 5/5 | [Robert Stevens]

Cherry Orchard: Beyond The Truth (Theatre Margot, Korea)
Theatre Margot's masterfully choreographed production of Anton Chekhov's final play, reduces its seventeen original cast members to three and almost dispenses with dialogue. But it succeeds in tenderly conveying the trembling vulnerability of the aristocratic Gayev family on the eve of the Bolshevik revolution. Despite its stark minimalism, Park Yeon Joo's reimagining creates complex emotional conflict; any empathy is countered by a sense of puerile absurdity, evoked by the physically farcical movement of Ranevskaya and her two daughters. Due to the sparse dialogue often being unintelligibly accented, the audience is forced to rely almost exclusively upon the intensely expressive choreography, which gives the production a spirit of raw honesty. It suggests that whilst our language lies, our movements give the truth away.
C Nova, until 31 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Patrick Galbraith]

Festivus (Signature Pictures)
Like 'Abigail's Party' set in a field, 'Festivus' is fascinatingly hard to watch. Sami Larabi's innovative, claustrophobic piece, focusing on two couples at a festival, tells the depressing truth about society. I hate the masterfully constructed characters, hate them because they force me to recognise elements of my own cheating, narcissistic self. Larabi's real skill is in his sharp accuracy - his dialogue perfectly captures the affected hedonistic patois of middle class kids. Sally Horwill is particularly good as Laura - seductive, manipulative and pitifully fragile - while Larabi is unsettlingly menacing as a damaged boy torn apart by his past. Depicting four friends who really shouldn't be friends at all, 'Festivus' left me wondering the extent to which most friendships are merely circumstantial conveniences.
C Nova, until 31 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Patrick Galbraith] 

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Family (Ben Norris)
Ben Norris recounts the story of the time he took off on a hitch-hiking tour of all the places his emotionally distant father had lived (mostly just off the M1), in an attempt to understand him better. Luckily for us, he can take us with him, through a pleasing mix of spoken-word, pictures, videos and animations. Norris is a tremendous performer, demonstrating his skill at slam poetry through subtle rhythm and dexterous wordplay. He does this without ever breaking the intimate rapport he forges with his audience through friendly and sincere interaction. This is a great show from a truly talented performer with genuine presence and charisma to burn. I urge you all to catch it while you can.
Underbelly, until 30 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Andrew Leask]

The Missing Hancocks: Live in Edinburgh! (Show A) (Something For The Weekend)
This recreation of 'Hancock's Half Hour' will surely appeal to those who remember the original radio (or maybe TV) broadcasts. Indeed, a man in the seat next to me turned to his wife and said wistfully, "does it take you back to the fifties dear?" "Yes", she said, "it does". This atmospheric recreation of the classic radio show took me there too, I think, or perhaps I was just getting swept up in the collective blissful nostalgia...? The humour was tepidly funny in that sort of 'Carry On' film kind of way, and Robin Sebastian was good as Kenneth Williams, though the performances were generally far from perfect. Nonetheless, it was nice - jolly, in an English sort of way.
The Assembly Rooms, until 29 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Patrick Galbraith]

An Oak Tree (Tim Crouch)
This is the tenth year Tim Crouch has performed 'An Oak Tree', and it still feels fresh. An un-rehearsed actor is directed live by Crouch and handed various scripts to sight-read. It's comfortably confusing, both for the actor, whose first experience of the play is live on-stage, and for the audience watching. Through the fragments of story, the audience and actor together uncover the tragic after-effects of losing a child. A lost character played by a lost actor, both trying to find their way; the form complements the themes elegantly. Guest actor Aoife Duffin had a wonderful vulnerability which was mesmerising to watch. An interesting, transfixing concept, in places it felt slightly repetitive, but overall a very moving performance.
Traverse Theatre, until 30 Aug
tw rating 4/5 | [Stephanie Withers]

Reconciling (The Barrington Collective)
I wasn't convinced that the odd premise for this play would work, but thankfully it really does. Three separate narratives unfold in the same space, dealing with relationships, both familial and romantic. Each story is distinct and isolated from the others... until it's not. It's a rapid-fire barrage of dialogue that demands the audience's full attention; luckily, the quality of characterisation, pathos and humour all make that a given. The six talented actors time their exchanges and interchanges expertly, and with gusto, ensuring that the comedic and dramatic beats all land perfectly. They shift tone smoothly and powerfully, giving the script an air of verisimilitude it could easily lack. It's tremendous fun: three good plays crammed together into less than hour.
theSpace on the Mile, until 29 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Andrew Leask]

Since Maggie Went Away (Ballydam Theatre - Jacqueline Nolan)
This is a laudable and ambitious attempt, based on a true story, to capture the pain caused by forced adoption in Ireland, as well as the scars left by institutional child abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church. These are awful, traumatic experiences, but only glimmers of that come through in this one-woman show, especially in the brief snatches of folk songs. Unfortunately the narrative is too fragmented - in space and time - without a clear guiding structure, and the characters the actor plays are not always clearly delineated. As such, the audience is forced to waste time trying to deduce which character is speaking, and when. This took me out of the moment too often, diminishing the play's impact.
theSpace on the Mile, until 15 Aug.
tw rating 2/5 | [Andrew Leask]

The Soaking Of Vera Shrimp (Rosie and Me)
This is a beautiful gem of a show, about a teenage girl dealing with loss and grief. The performance is charming and sweet, and the script is frequently hilarious, punctuated by moments of sincerity and pathos. Just as Vera struggles to confront the sorrow in her life, so too the audience finds itself relieved when Vera returns to the more light-hearted aspects of the show, such as her presentation on the emotional memory of raindrops. The bond forged between performer and audience is surprisingly intense, and emotionally authentic; so much so that at times I forgot I was watching a work of fiction, and felt I was watching a real teenager, coping with real pain.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 31 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Andrew Leask]

Some People Talk About Violence (Barrel Organ)
Barrel Organ want to smash the taboos surrounding talking about violence with this, their second Fringe offering. It's made up of a rotating cast of six, and the actors don't know which part they'll be playing until the audience picks them at random – which makes for an impressive feat given the intricate exchanges and pace of the show. Developed by Warwick Arts Centre and The Camden People's Theatre, this non-linear piece tells the story of a girl, her brother and their mother. Organic, semi-improvised games draw the audience in, whilst always referring back to the hard-hitting subject matter. This is not only a good show, it's also an important one, daring to put into words one of the most uncomfortable human experiences.
Summerhall, until 23 Aug
t/w rating 4/5 | [Bethan Highgate-Betts]

The Worry Monster (Aireborne Theatre Leeds)
Raymond is worried. Very worried. So worried, in fact, that his worries have manifested themselves into the "worry monster" of the title – an obnoxious character who follows him around, questioning and antagonising him as his life falls apart. Leeds University's drama society try their best with this illogical, confusing and unresolved plot, but the equally unlikeable characters, such as the anxious divorcee and his elderly mother, are beyond them. The cardboard props may be an attempt at a quirky, cartoonish aesthetic, but they just seem cheap and poorly thought out. The show also perpetuates the unpleasant myth that mentally ill people are likely to be violent, aggressive and unpredictable. I'm worried, very worried, about the message this sends out.
Paradise in Augustines, until 29 Aug.
tw rating 1/5 | [Gemma Scott]