Jessica Fostekew: Hench (Jessica Fostekew)
Described by a stranger in a gym as "hench", Jessica Fostekew is questioning what body image is, what it means, and how it can entirely shape your outlook on life. In what I can best describe as an aggressively funny style, Fostekew adeptly takes on the hypocrisies of society's norms through the lens of relationships, parenting and a new-found love of weightlifting. For women, how you look and behave is entirely bound up with your womanliness, and of course to Fostekew, being hench has always been less than a compliment - but she's learning otherwise. In this hilarious hour, she turns femininity on its head to show that being strong is an inherently female characteristic; and now she's pretty proud to be hench.
Monkey Barrel, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Daisy Malt]

Rory O Hanlon - Confidence (Rory O Hanlon / PBH's Free Fringe)
Rory O Hanlon's show is tenuously named 'Confidence', despite the fact that the Irish comedian only utters the word twice towards the end of his set, where he implies that certain societal issues are giving everyone some confidence. O Hanlon displays a real affability and seems to relish interacting with audience members, by identifying a few individuals and learning their nationality or career in order to exchange some fairly polite ridicule. But the show lacks structure and seems thin on material, with weak improvisation. O Hanlon continually reverts back to the same crowd members, digging deep to prise small details out of them in the hope of returned hilarity. At least he's a confident performer, which is something to take away from the show's title.
Free Fringe @ Opium, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 2/5 | [Kieran Scott]

Yuriko Kotani: Somosomo (Mick Perrin Worldwide)
Performing stand-up in your second language must be tough, especially when your English is regularly criticised and you suffer from a fear of public speaking. Yuriko Kotani overcame these challenges to give a charming performance full of dry humour. After a playful introduction on Japanese stereotypes, she detailed some of the challenges she has faced since moving to the UK. She confided that stand-up comedy has been a cathartic release, allowing her to fight back against the misogynists who have caused her grief. Clearly buoyed by an enthusiastic audience, she robustly dealt with some of the idiocies surrounding a women's role. On occasion her flow and the pace slackened, but this didn't take away from a performance full of authenticity and bravery.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Charlie Ellis]

DANCE & PHYSICAL THEATRE

DNA (Casus Circus and Cluster Arts)
It's always a treat to see Casus Circus, and this year's show is no less mesmerising than its predecessors. Performed by a seven-strong team, 'DNA' focuses on the differences that bind us all together. Through graceful acrobatics and dance they explore their personalities and tell beautiful stories with their bodies. Their moves are lively and graceful, often belying the sheer physical strength required to achieve them, and are backed by a great soundtrack that always captures the right feel for each act. Featuring gravity-defying chairs, trapeze and aerial work, the show is full of a playfulness that brought smiles to the crowd's faces, matching the performers who clearly relish every moment of what they're doing.
Assembly George Square Gardens, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Daisy Malt]

MUSIC

Chords To Dream Of Love With (The Folk Orchestra Of Hangzhou Jiangnan Experimental School Of Zhejiang)
After the speeches were made, these young performers with their traditional Chinese instruments commanded the stage. For a western musician it was fascinating to hear these intriguing instruments with their diverse techniques in a multimedia setting, with films depicting the areas where the music originated and the inspiration behind the compositions. There were light-hearted moments too, notably a troupe of toddlers dressed as cats dancing to Leroy Anderson's 'The Syncopated Clock'. The musical interaction and poise of the flutes impressed me in 'Running the Boat' and the daruan solo 'Camel Bells on the Silk Road' was very evocative. This was a sonic window into another world but also a school concert - a pleasing mixture of the familiar and the unfamiliar.
Venue 50 at EICC, 4 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Louise Rodgers]

Art Heist (Poltergeist / Untapped by Underbelly and New Diorama Theatre)
Wacky, weird and wonderful is the easiest way to describe this show. Set out like a gaming experience, we see the characters given their scenarios and then making decisions, as three thieves attempt to rob a gallery on the same night. A narrator sits at a desk, seemingly controlling the lighting, sound and events that follow, and inviting audience members to participate. With such a creative use of technical elements, including live camera feeds, this play showcases some brilliant originality, and makes you question what art really is. However, while both funny and moving at times, 'Art Heist' left me wishing for a slightly more profound or emotional connection to the tale, which was attempted in the script but never quite hit home.
Underbelly Cowgate, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Izzy Cutler]

Beach Body Ready (The Roaring Girls, Absolutely Cultured, Pleasance, York Theatre Royal, Hull Truck)
With a mixture of short comedic video clips, bursts of expressive dance and direct interaction, this show feels less like a play and more like a conversation with the audience. Fun, energetic and unashamedly body positive, the three charismatic performers share their personal tales with raw honesty; from struggling with a gym obsession, experiencing the cruel taunts of others for being fat and even being told by family you can never be loved unless you're skinny. While it took a while to warm up and felt slightly rough round the edges in places, the friendly tone and empowering message won me over and I left feeling more than ready to take my body to the beach.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Izzy Cutler]

Birth (Theatre Re in association with Glynis Henderson Productions)
What do you remember most about your mother? Watching this beautiful and moving production, I couldn't help but think back fondly to my own childhood. Telling the story of three generations of mothers, through birth, love and loss, the incredibly slick movement and mesmerising score combined to create a masterclass in physical theatre storytelling. The clever use of a kitchen table centre stage set the scene, as actors and props seemingly disappeared and reappeared from underneath it, never stopping the flow of the piece and feeling like magic to watch. While it lacked the originality of previous Theatre Re work 'The Nature of Forgetting', I loved delving into its twists and turns as I saw reflected the unconditional family love I know so well.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Izzy Cutler]

Cream Tea And Incest (Peracals Productions)
A send up of classic stories of the ilk of the Jeeves and Wooster tales, albeit with a decidedly more vicious edge, this comedy really delivers on the strangeness of its title. Eddie Spangler - along with his long-suffering butler, Jeffrey - bumbles from one unlikely incident to the next, taking each in his stride while leaving a trail of destruction behind him. The performances from this all-female cast exude an energy that keeps the wild antics grounded, but it can feel too much at points. Starting at a 10 leaves little room to grow, and the energy does not relent, leaving a slightly exhausted audience in its wake. Nevertheless, the clever use of two-dimensional cardboard props and a number of quick changes more than kept me interested.
Gilded Balloon Rose Theatre, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Will Norris]

Monsoon Season (Thieriot Productions and All For One)
Richard Thieriot and Therese Plaehn are excellent performers, with terrific comic timing and presence, but this isn't the best showcase for their (considerable) talents. It follows a recently separated couple: Danny is struggling to adjust to life without his family in a dismal apartment (adjacent to a neon-lit strip club, sans-blinds). We watch his life unravel, as he grows increasingly manic and unhinged. Then, we watch the same events from the perspective of Julia (his Adderall addict and wannabe YouTuber ex-wife). It's a solid structure, but the shifts from humour to pathos give you tonal whiplash, and the fundamental point is unclear: ultimately, though funny, neither is likeable enough to earn my sympathy (or stable enough to be a parent!).
Underbelly Cowgate, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Andy Leask]

Don't Be Terrible (Standard Man Productions)
Having a painfully unfunny character in a comedy is a risky move, but in 'Don't Be Terrible' it definitely pays off. Steve wants to learn how to make his girlfriend Sarah laugh, and turns to stand-up comic Alice to help make it happen. This intimate look at what makes good comedy is expertly performed, aping the tropes of bad stand-up while never falling into actual parody. Though the story can be somewhat confusing at times, the message is clear: comedy is a way for people to cope with their own inadequacies, and you have to think carefully before deciding to open your life to ridicule. If stand-up's not for you, this introspective look at how it works could be just the ticket.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Will Norris]

The Red (Corduroy Productions and Something For The Weekend)
The power of this play lies in its simple sincerity; there's nothing knowing or self-conscious here. Benedict is an alcoholic - 23 years sober - and on the day of his father's funeral, he is tempted to drink again, from a very special bottle of wine. The two-hander is wonderfully, subtly performed (by real-life father and son Bruce and Sam Alexander) and exquisitely written by Marcus Brigstocke, taking inspiration from his own recovery. One could sneer at the middle-class airs - the play takes place in a well-stocked wine cellar and compares the merits of a 1978 Chateau Lafite to Waitrose's cloudy apple juice - but doing so would miss the point: the deeply human struggle with grief, and with addiction.
Pleasance Dome, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Andy Leask]