Henry Rollins ****

Spoken-word performances are something which Henry Rollins is now well renowned for, and on the strength of this show it's easy to see why.

Barely pausing for breath, Rollins takes us on a rollercoaster monologue about US politics, world travel and Eddie Van Halen, seemingly pouring out streams of his own consciousness in a polished and powerhouse performance.

Funny and powerful, the greying tattooed former Black Flag frontman is adept at holding a sell-out crowd in the palm of his hand and the hour-long set flies past due to his charisma, talent and viewpoints.

Circus Oz ****

Circus Oz is, as the name gives away, an acrobatic and comedy act from Australia. Now in its 30th year (the show is subtitled '30th Birthday Bash'), the performers are all energetic and enthusiastic, and capable of some impressive feats of skill.

The usual routines, such as juggling and rope climbing are all present and correct, and carried out flawlessly and with visual flair. Highlights include a woman juggling / bouncing ping-pong balls (more impressive than it sounds here) and another female performer spinning around the stage inside a giant hula-hoop.

Live music is played by a band at the back of the stage throughout, and this gives a vaudeville burlesque feel to proceedings, especially as accordion is one of the instruments featured. Nods to Antipodean roots are also given though, most notably in an amusing and impressive routine where the performers - dressed as kangaroos - catapult each other and somersault off a see-saw.

It's all family friendly stuff and easily recommendable, due to its high spirits, amazing feats and comedy charm.

Tiger Lillies - Seven Deadly Sins *****

The Tiger Lillies are an acquired taste. A punk vaudeville burlesque freakshow. Right up my street, then.

In this show, the Lillies perform songs based on the seven deadly sins, the three musicians aided and abetted by the voluptuous Ophelia Bitz, burlesque star extraordinaire. Martyn Jacques falsettos his way through sick & twisted odes and ditties, including the classic "Kicking A Baby Down The Stairs", as Ms Bitz twists and cavorts, eating fire, stuffing her face or toying with a dildo...

You're either going to love this kind of thing, or hate it. The Tiger Lillies are that kind of 'all or nothing' group - indeed, after one of their slower piano-led pieces, Jacques berates one of the noisier sections of the audience: "if you're going to talk through my songs, just fucking leave". I'm right with him on that - these are songs that deserve to be heard, and the whole chaotic spectacle is an experience that demands attention.

The gay Punch & Jud(y)e sideshow that peppers the performance is a bit unnecessary, but it certainly adds to the whole freakish circus nature of the show, which, like La Clique, is perfectly suited for the burlesque interior of the Spiegeltent in which it is performed.

Mong Yeong (Love in Dream) *****

Mong Yeong is an original piece of theatre performed by an accomplished South Korean company.

A moving and thought-provoking piece examining love, loss and reincarnation, this is performed mostly in Korean, with some English interjections to help explain the story (and also for dramatic effect, in some instances).

It deals with a recently-widowed woman and her grief-stricken descent into madness and desperation. The simple set and strong lighting evokes the mood excellently, with a sheet being used to denote the barrier between this life and the next. Beautiful imagery, such as white-clad hooded souls crossing the boundary into the afterlife, is used evocatively throughout and the live music accompaniment is also first class.

As the tale unfolds, the talented cast spin a touching and contemplative tale that is at times intensely moving and beautifully portrayed. With its themes of loss, religion and - ultimately - hope, this is one of the finest pieces of theatre I've seen at the Fringe, and would not be out of place in the Edinburgh International Festival itself.

Samurai Spirit ****

Samurai Spirit is a visually striking and superbly choreographed show of Japanese sword fighting skills.

The cast demonstrate their prowess with katana & bo via a series of set-pieces (the lone samurai against attacking bandits, one man defending a graceful female with parasol, etc) in which the moves and fighting is excellently portrayed.

There are a couple of moments of lighter relief, including one in which a female member of the audience is chosen to learn a few moves, but most are done with seriousness and grace. The cast were involved in the fight choreography for Kill Bill, and the last segment pays homage to this fact with the black-suited combatants attacking each other with flashing blades whilst the music from the movie pumps out in the background.

Sitting in the front row added to the experience, as did sitting beside a couple of Japanese girls in the audience who were loving every minute with infectious enthusiasm.

The Factory *****

Set in the dark, dusty and claustrophobic caverns underneath the Pleasance, The Factory attempts to give a taste of the experience of Jewish concentration camp victims during the Holocaust.

Given the seriousness of the subject matter, this was important to get right - any patronising trivialisation of the topic would have been unforgivable. Fortunately, this powerhouse production delivers an experience that is unlike any other and pays due respect to its subject.

From the outset, we are disoriented. Herded into a low-ceilinged cavern, we are shouted at, sworn at, threatened and immediately split into two single column rows, commanded to keep quiet and face straight ahead. Even when one audience member mutters something to his companion, one of the five-strong cast runs up to him and screams "no fucking noise" inches from his face.

The cast - one female and four male, all dressed in the striped and tattered 'uniform' of the internees - then proceed to spend 5 minutes banging metal plates hanging on the walls. The noise is deafening and by the end we are pummelled into submission.

We are then led through a series of rooms, ordered into our places by a screaming guard. The experience of the inmates is brought to life by two of the performers, one of whom is being forced to work for the guards; the other determined not to accept her fate without a struggle.

It is obvious as we continue that struggle is useless and this defiance turns into appalling acceptance and tragic inevitability. In the penultimate room, orders are given to strip, and the performers stand amongst us naked, shivering and crying. Then, with increasing fear and desperation, we are commanded one by one into a tiny room, crammed next to each other and the naked cast. The three victims in our midst speak desperately and ultimately end up singing a Jewish hymn of devotion and defiance before, suddenly, the lights go out. When they go back on, they are lying, dead in our midst. They are carried out and a lone performer appears at the door, desperately repeating the phrase 'remember us' over and over again.

We are then led out into the harsh daylight, the cast nowhere to be seen. Impossible to forget and equally impossible not to remember those that didn't get the luxury of ever seeing daylight again.

A stunning accomplishment.

The Aluminum Show *****

At last year's Fringe, a show called Fuertzabruta appeared out of nowhere and created a huge buzz through its use of artistic, striking imagery, dance music and sheer originality. The Aluminum Show isn't quite up there with Fuertzabruta's standard, but it's not far off it.

A cast of Israeli dancers and performance artists spend an hour bringing various forms of aluminum (tubing, foil sheets, balloons, etc) to life in ever-more original and visually arresting ways. 

At first, the stage is covered with giant aluminum tubes. These suddenly inflate and vanish off up to the ceiling, leaving several person-sized tubes alone under the spotlights. Of course, the performers are inside and move and dance, breathing surreal life into the worm-like pieces.

In another striking piece, Warhol-like silver balloons of varying sizes are filled with air and then used to assemble a giant metal mannequin, which looms over the audience before marching off stage.

All the while, techno / rave music pumps out and at times gigantic tubes or sheets of foil are passed out into the audience, turning the whole space into a writhing silver mass.

There is nothing particularly physically impressive about the show, but that's not what it's about - it's all about the imagery and the different interpretations and bizarre uses for normally lifeless bits of foil, strands and fragments of which are blasted into the crowd at the end.

Shows like this take on the feeling of being at a party rather than a performance, and the group pull this off well, meaning everyone's pumped up and elated as we file out into the by comparison grey and dull Edinburgh evening.