... Autoboosh Pleasance Huge aliens in parkas, a dubbed butler with his voice in a jar. sword-fights and flannels, The Boosh are back. The plot does not sound inspired Noel Fielding and Julian Barrett go on holiday to a remote cottage in Cheshire but for The Boosh it is probably of no matter what the original starting point is. Ultimately Fielding will be attacked by a big white-faced rabbit, be ...

... Frankenstein Komedia @ Southside Company:Collisions dynamically blends powerful choreography, highoctane music and effects, audio-collage and a well-crafted fusion of movement and dialogue in its dramatically inventive reinterpretation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Interweaving the creation of the monster with her personal tragedy of three lost children, the skilfully energetic cast of four ...

... Magic Bob The Garden Party There was a great amount of enthu siasm among the young fans of Magic Bob who came to see his Millennium Retrospective so much so that they could not wait to leave their seats and jump onto the stage, given half a chance. The routine of handkerchiefs, ropes, banknotes and playing cards tricks is extremely well paced and spiced up with some off the cuff comedy. Magic ...

... Lady Salsa The Garden Party In a mix which never quite reaches the potency of its constituent parts, director and writer Toby Gough has brought a flavour of Cuba to the Fringe. Theatrically, the production revolves round a voyage of discovery made by Burns (Stewart Ennis) in Cuba, where he meets Lady Salsa (Hilda Oates) who tells him of the island's history, both violent and vibrant. The 76 ...

... Dr Bunhead's Exploding Vegetable Show Dynamic Earth A cross between an eccentric scientist and an intellectual clown, Dr Bunhead wastes no time in capturing his audience's attention. If anything, his pace might be a bit too fast and the content of his show a little too dense to take in during this most amazing hour, even by the standards of an adult audience. Here we have fire-eating, 'glow in ...

... Soul Survivor Komedia @ Southside This song and speech piece was devised by Lee Beagtey as a show case for singer-actress Paula Simms of Kaboodle Productions. Nominally the memoirs of a fictional singer, it takes her from her north of England roots to a journey through America and American music. Simms alternates spoken sections with songs in a very wide variety of styles, from country rock ...

... Asylum drama is no-holds barred Traverse The Bogus Woman What with all the recent invective against asylum seekers vomited from the Press, it is high time someone came up with a decisive reply drama- wise. This is a worthy contender. A distressed and beaten African woman is interrogated at Heathrow, unable to explain how she arrived there. Directed sensitively by Lisa Goldman, Noma Dumezweni ...

... No holiday for noisy Johnny Assembly Rooms The Erpingham Camp This production of Joe Orton's neglected piece has polish. What it lacks, however, is a truly sympathetic playing of Orton's script. Although certainly not one of his finest, the play has more to offer than this production suggests. Anarchy in Erpingham's holiday camp results from the over-reaching ambition of, among others, Riley ...

... MacHomer Assembly Rooms The concept works better than it should. Macbeth told in 50 min utes, featuring The Simpsons Marge as Lady MacHomer and nextdoor neighbour Ned Flanders asBanquo. The pace is quick, blistering through the plot like Bart on speed, as Rick Miller plays all parts while bounding around the stage. His voices are very impressive. Marge is most accurate, but Homer, Bums and ...

... Sean Lock Assembly Rooms He starts off his set with an act of baldness prevention. He places his palm over on his forehead. We are suitably introduced to the surreal world of Sean Lock. In a brown, open-collared suit retro, but dapper Lock wanders through his script so effortlessly as if he has just thought of the gags. Alcohol for children. Covering the cat in Rizlas. Do dogs think in barks? ...

... Whacked! Gilded Balloon Interspersed with film footage and banging music, Sarah McGuiness' performance as Annie, ex-girlfriend of a gangster, struggles against a difficult script ridden with cliches. Tony Thompson's monologue relies on all the things EastEnders would inform us are true of gang ster lifestyles: drugs, sex, gangs, guns, are all present in varying amounts. Thompson does not ...

... Zelle- The Final Hours of Mata Hari The Garage Adriana Aja Jung of Belgrade City Ballet gives a virtuoso solo performance evoking the moods and memories of Mata Hari, exotic dancer and celebrated spy, awaiting death in a Paris prison. Her carefully crafted and highly sensitive dance and movement display a most impressive choreo graphic range, under the direction of Mila Sevic, perfectly ...