There's nothing like a memorable video to help make your show stand out from the crowd at Fringe time. Self-described autistic comedian Yanni's promo video, "Tom Cruise goes to the Fringe with Yianni! has the kind of editing treatment that stops you in your tracks, with its mash up of a young Tom Cruise in Rainman playing alongside the number obsessed comedian.
Great editing. But the vid is also funny, with jokes about scientology and Cruise's ex, Katie Holmes, who he's heard talking with on the phone. "Come and meet me and Yanni at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival," he pleads. "No, I'm not there to see the Ladyboys of Bangkok."
Yanni even gets the latest Fringe programme in the frame. The kicker is, his show is free. In case you didn't get it: Numb and Number at the Canon's Gait, 4.55pm until 25th.
Taking a more direct approach is Ireland's the Rubber Bandits (below). It's short, to the point, with a dash of inspired surrealism thrown in.
The creator of the Dark Room, a YouTube game show that has been adapted by its creator for the stage, has a bit of melodramatic fun with a single light put to good effect. The Dark Room is another free show.
Many Fringe performers are vlogging their way through August. Comedy musos Jonny & the Baptists are doing it in song, with (they promise) a new song every day. The latest is "Boris on a Zip-Wire", about the Mayor of London's Olympic dangling episode. But closer to home is the soft-rap "Scotland Don't Leave Me", from a couple of days ago, which has the English trio rapping honeyed lyrics around familiar Edinburgh spots about the case for political union. It's a catchy tune. The group is at Underbelly at 9.10pm from 2nd to 26th (not 15th).
Assembly has posted some very short highlights of some of its Fringe shows from its gala night. The show that sticks out for me is of Mother Africa below, featuring some jaw-dropping contortions. I didn't know a body could do that.