Edinburgh Festival `98: Day Planner Your Hour-By-Hour Guide to What's Best at the Festival and Fringe

12 NOON

THEATRE

12.00-1.45 Joy. Futuristic thriller. Abbotsford Scott (venue 103), 18 Morningside Road (447 1122). pounds 4 (pounds 3.50). Until 22 Aug.

1PM

THEATRE

1.00-2.00 All Strange Away. The European premiere of Beckett's controversial play. Pleasance Attic. Price pounds 6.50 (pounds 5.50). Until 31 Aug, not 24.

2PM

CHILDREN

2.00-3.30 The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky's ballet with spectacular giant puppets. South Leith Parish Church Halls (venue 180), Henderson Street. Until 29 Aug (not 23).

3PM

COMEDY

3.00-4.00 Richard Whiteley: Teatime Chat With Richard. More cardigan- friendly chat helmed by Countdown's intellectual dynamo. Pleasance Over the Road. Price pounds 7 (pounds 6).

Until 31 Aug (not 25).

4PM

THEATRE

4.35-5.35 Tamogotchi Heaven. Adults-only tragi-comic tale of a woman and her cyberpet. Pleasance (venue 33), 60 The Pleasance (556 6550). Price pounds 6.50 (pounds 5.50). Until 31 Aug.

5PM

COMEDY

5.55-6.45 Universal Grinding Machine. Surreal anti-standup. Pleasance Below. Price pounds 6.50 (pounds 5.50). Until 31 Aug, not 24 Aug.

7PM

DANCE

7.20-10.30 Destino Tango. With Dutch maestros Sexteto Canyengue and dancers Club Tango 5. Graffiti (venue 90), at the corner of Broughton and East London Streets (557 8330). Price pounds 8.50 (pounds 7.50). Until 31 Aug (not 25).

8PM

COMEDY

8.15-9.15 Mark Doherty: Fascinating Things. Unique, surreal standup. Pleasance (venue 33), 60 The Pleasance (556 6550). Price pounds 7.50 (pounds 6.50). 20, 23, 25-27 Aug.

COMEDY

8.30-9.30 Rich Hall. `Grouchy, deadpan, comic, bastard, genius.' Diatribe against America by one of her own. Very funny. The Observer Assembly (venue 3), Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street. Price pounds 9 (pounds 8). Until 30 Aug.

9PM

COMEDY

9.00-10.00 Jason Byrne. Fast and furious act with off-the-cuff material from the talented young standup. His first solo Edinburgh show. Pleasance (venue 33), 60 The Pleasance (556 6550). Price pounds 7.50 (pounds 6.50). Until 31 Aug.

COMEDY

9.25-10.25 Al Murray: the Pub Landlord, Keeper of the Pint Cosmic. Cruelly denied the Perrier Award twice, Murray returns for a third stint behind the bar. Pleasance (venue 33) (556 6550). Price pounds 8.50 (pounds 7.50). Until 31 Aug, not 25.

10PM

COMEDY

10.15-11.15 The League Against Tedium. Simon Munnery's megalomaniacal creation - an antidote to middle-of-the-road comedy blues. Pleasance Above (venue 33). Price pounds 8-pounds 9 (pounds 7-pounds 8). Until 31 Aug, not 25.