Every time Peepolykus return to the fringe, you are filled with the same hope: that they might have come up with a show to match the irreverence, invention and absolute absurdity of their great hit, Let the Donkey Go. Sadly, Mindbender still doesn't manage it - but it's about as close as they have come.
The Mindbender is one Michael Santos, a self-styled "psychic contortionist" whose mind-reading relies entirely on information fed to him by a belligerent plant, sent to wheedle information out of the audience before the show begins. There's aflimsy plot, but, as always with Peepolykus, it's the abundance of extraneous silly stuff - the deliciously inept demonstrations of mime, some dazzlingly idiotic palm-reading, two performances by a dancing bear - that really counts.
It's all done with engaging, knockabout energy by David Sant as the bumbling Santos, Javier Marzan as his beleaguered assistant and John Nicholson as the attention-seeking plant. But, while it's fun to see the trio simultaneously subvert and celebrate the conventions of light entertainment, it's hard not to feel that Mindbender lacks that spark of uniqueness.
· Until August 25. Box office: 0131-226 2428.
