This year a record level of shows are (as we speak) rehearsing and preparing to take the stages of Edinburgh by storm. Now that the official Edinburgh Fringe programme is out, what delights shall I pick out in 2008?

Having moved to the Scottish Highlands permanently, I find I am now a two and a half hour train ride away instead of an hour or so on the plane. I am looking forward to a new experience of day-tripping down to the Edinburgh Fringe, circling items in my Fringe programme as I go.

‘Is Jerry Sadowitz on this year?’ enquires my Edinburgh Festival partner in crime. Flicking through my newly arrived Fringe Programme, I discover he is and he’s calling his show ‘Jerry Sadowitz-Comedian, Magician, Psychopath II’. However, his 2008 show, on at the Udderbelly’s Pasture at Bristo Square, almost every day of the festival, is set to start, I observe cannily, about the same time as our train leaves Waverley for the Highlands and it looks as though this year, we are going to have to miss his show. Don’t get me wrong, he is a great magician and the magician fraternity say, in ‘close-up magic’ there is no one to match him, but bear in mind, this is not a children’s show by any means! This is an adult show with magic, the swearing is usually really bad (on a scale of 1 to 10, he’s a 10), he prides his jokes being in incredibly bad taste (if you are offended easily, Jerry’s shows will leave you loosening those collars). Remember Jerry doesn’t take kindly to journalists, mobile phones and magicians attending his shows, so don’t upset him! You have been warned!