Edinburgh: Fringe Festival Dramatics

We're now halfway through Edinburgh's art festivities, and although Euro Hostel dutifully brought you the best in comedy at the start of the event, we have yet to unveil our drama recommendations for this year.

So far the Fringe has offered a veritable kaleidoscope of dramatic performances, in a refusal to be outdone by a certain sporting event in London.

There's an enormous selection to choose from this year, but the ones we've listed below stand out for creativeness, edginess or just sheer nerve. Your hands are guaranteed to be sore from applauding afterwards.

Miss Havisham's Expectations

Acclaimed actress Linda Marlowe stars in this touching celebration of Dickins' most iconic female character. Miss Havisham, jilted at the alter and doomed to spend the rest of her life with a stopped clock and uneaten wedding cake, has a few things to say to her esteemed creator.

Brilliantly written by Di Sherlock, this twist on the original text offers an insightful look at the man who "liked to play God with his female characters but had little understanding of them". If you've got a fondness for seeing characters and stories turned on their heads and given a new voice, then this is certainly the play for you. Gilded Balloon Teviot, Bristo Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9AJ, 0131 622 6552.

Hand Over Fist

Never have you been more likely to be mugged in Memory Lane. Dave Florez's dark and meaningful monologue is a hard-hitting affair which is not for the faint hearted. Sit with the character Emily as she tries desperately to reclaim her failing mind from the grips of Alzheimer's disease.

As unpredictable as it is engaging, audience members will find themselves touched by this woman's story, and not one person in that theatre will walk out the same as they went in. Beautifully emoted by Joanna Bending, she performs the role with dignity and desperation in equal measure, and as the sun sets on her mind and her life, her past, present and future become one and the same. 60 Pleasance Courtyard, Scotland, Edinburgh, EH8 9TJ, 0131 650 4673.

My Stepson Stole My Sonic Screwdriver

Toby Hadoke's original comedy Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf was so successful on the Fringe last year that people were clamouring for a follow-up. According to the writer himself, "some people are never happy". Good job though, otherwise we wouldn't have the sequel here at the Fringe for 2012.

This hilarious show is a must-see for every drama fan. Compelling and touching, it is the story of a naive Doctor Who fanatic trying to get to grips with the fact that a comprehensive knowledge of the TARDIS is not what's needed to make relationships function. Gilded Balloon Teviot, Bristo Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9AJ, 0131 622 6552.

The Fantasist

Puppets in theatre did astonishingly well last year, with The Table and Swamp Juice achieving near-universal acclaim. Fast-forward to 2012, and the festival is saturated with them. But if you catch one puppet show this year, make it The Fantasist.

A touchingly honest revelation into the mind of a bipolar young woman, the play is strikingly bold and brilliantly inventive. The physical elements are, as one would expect from a puppet show, perfectly executed, and the avatars themselves are beautifully animated. And while the heart of the show is definitely in the battle with the illness, there are elements of comedy to underscore the tragedy. A truly insightful performance. Underbelly, The Dairy Room, Bristo Square, Edinburgh, EH8.

The Sewing Machine

A funny yet poignant one-woman show, this is a performance for all mothers who try to project themselves onto their children and grandchildren. On the day that she has to sell her sewing machine, we get to enjoy the company of 82-year-old Magdalene, superbly portrayed by South African icon Sandra Prinsloo.

Magdalene tells us all about her life and family in a witty monologue which reveals a character as gnarled and twisted on the inside as she is on the outside. Although the performance is extremely funny, audiences will be sent home with much to think about, as Magdalene is neither politically correct, nor polite about it.

The last laugh is most definitely on us, however, as she is forced to confess her story to an old sewing machine, having driven away everyone else in her life. Assembly, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LH.

Dirty Great Love Story
Two hapless romantic drunks have a brief encounter before getting away from each other as quickly as possible, but in true romantic comedy style, they never quite manage it. Quick-witted heroes Rich and Katie – coincidentally also the names of the writers – go from one drunken night out to the next and always seem to end up with one another.

The underlying message seems to be that this is a romantic comedy like no other; in other words, a realistic one. Forget the Hollywood-style screw-ups, this is a love story which mirrors the experience of almost every single audience member. 60 Pleasance Dome, Scotland, Edinburgh, EH8 9TJ, 0131 556 6550.

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