Ah-Ma, The Space at Niddry Street.What defines us as a person? Is it the name on our birth certificate, or the fingerprints on our hands? And when someone slowly falls into dementia, does that reduce who they are, or does the true person live on in the memories and genes of their relatives? Cathy Lam’s intensely moving and powerful play about her long-lasting bond with her grandmother, both as a child who could not bear to be separated from her, and as an adult now living the United States but always keeping touch, is a finely and delicately written piece, given a stunningly eloquent performance by Kasen Tsui. An elegant account of coming to terms with separation and dementia. Take your tissues, it’s an emotional experience! 5 stars.

Trust Me, I’m from Essex, Greenside @ George Street.Ahhh, Sarfend-on-Sea, the stuff that dreams are made on. Everyone’s got their own opinion of what an Essex girl is like – and sometimes the stereotype fits. But Lindsay Lucas-Bartlett is no ordinary Essex girl. She takes us on a journey from her childhood, with an abusive father and being bullied at school, to University in London, with its dubious night life, through a series of personal tragedies but eventual happiness, not in Shoeburyness but in Los Angeles. Trust Me I’m From Essex is a smartly written, endlessly fascinating story full of great characterisations and witty songs. Complemented by effective and amusing screen projections, Lindsay is an engaging performer who draws you into her life, loves and laughs, while never obscuring life’s darker side. A very satisfying show! 4 stars.

Rachel Morton-Young: Dutch Courage, Laughing Horse at the Raging Bull.Despite being born and raised in England, Rachel Morton-Young has lived for the past twenty-six years in the Netherlands. Her grandmother lived there until she came to England with a British soldier at the end of the Second World War. Now Rachel sees herself as living out the life her grandmother could have had, if she had stayed! It’s so refreshing to watch a comedy show that’s devoted to one particular subject – a comparison of the way of life between the UK and the Netherlands – because all Rachel’s material has the benefit of being totally original. And the differences between the two countries are surprisingly substantial, from the methods of making tea to the ins and outs of sex education; from the way you wrap a present to the Santa Claus/Sinterklaas rituals. Rachel is a very engaging and warm presence on stage, who puts you at ease and sets up a superb rapport with the audience. She is also a master storyteller of all her hilarious anecdotes. Extremely funny and well worth prioritising in your afternoon Fringe plans! 4 stars.

Some Masterchef Sh*t, Greenside @ George Street.Adam and Luke meet up at a café. Adam seems confident, Luke seems tongue-tied; this must be a tentative first date, right? However, as their meeting develops, we realise something stranger is being proposed – something that could have far-reaching consequences for both. An extremely inventive and original concept for the play, Some Masterchef Sh*t leads you up several garden paths before finally revealing its truth. Smart and witty writing by Liam High matched by two excellent performances from George Miller and Harry Freeman. If you want to see a play with a very different kind of plot twist, this is the one for you! 4 stars.

Nick It for Munich, Greenside @ George Street.Jamie’s big dream is to attend the opening match of the 2024 Euros – Scotland versus Germany in Munich. His dad had promised that the whole family would go to the Euros the next time Scotland qualified. But the timing isn’t good – his mum is in hospital and she’s not doing well. Nevertheless, there must be a way to realise his dream… Aric Hanscomb-Ryrie has written a heartwarming boys’ own adventure of football-mad Jamie’s attempt to get there for the match, and he gives an energetic and endearing performance, full of physicality and humour. You desperately want Jamie to succeed with his quest – and also get home safely! An escapist and engrossing production that’s great fun. 4 stars.

Jason Thurston’s Acting MasterClass with Jason Thurston, The Space at Niddry Street.We gather as an audience hungry for insights and tips from master actor Jason Thurston; however, Jason himself turns out to be one of the most inept actors and useless teachers you’ll ever encounter. Fortunately, he has assistance from actor Kia Quinn-Cortez and film director Francis Marpoon, as well as his super-agent Alan Hawkspebble. It’s a fun idea and there are several very funny sequences – my favourite was the flamboyantly vain Marpoon directing Jason and Kia in a love scene from the audience seats, when Jason cannot follow any of his direction. Sadly, though, the show never quite takes off. I realise Thurston is meant to be a hopeless character, but I felt they could make him even more extreme; Hawkspebble also comes across as a rather bland character. Thurston’s teaching segments are (deliberately) lame drivel, but each little scene goes nowhere and rarely produces a big laugh. We were a small audience and I am sure it would go down better with a larger crowd, but, despite some good performances, this didn’t really work. 2 stars.

Cody and Beau: A Wild West Story, The Space on The Mile.Cody plays with his toy Cowboys and Indians while Beau panics that it’s 9:45pm and he isn’t ready for curtain up – setting a delightfully meta tone in this extraordinarily inventive play. The two best pals in Gonzales, Texas, get so carried away with their love for Wild West Heroes that they plan to escape from home and find Billy The Kid. There’s a magical childish pleasure in seeing them make their devious plan, including breaking into a house to steal a map, and acquiring all the food and supplies for their perilous quest; and as they run away, the lines between reality and fantasy become blurred as Cody and Beau face the real challenges of the Wild West. Dylan Kaeuper and Will Grice have created a truly exciting and escapist fantasy that takes us back to when we were kids, and portray their young adventurers with affection, courage and a genuine sense of those unbreakable bonds we develop with our childhood best friends. I was blown away with the magic of it all. One of this Fringe’s must-see shows. 5 stars.