Stephen Moss takes the Edinburgh fringe

Stephen Moss appears in Lucy Foster's Oh, My Green Soap Box at the Pleasance Courtyard. He is brought on stage to discuss life, love and global warming with Foster, who can't decide whether she loves polar bears or men more Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod

Backstage with the cast of the Inconsiderate Aberrations of Billy the Kid: (from left) Ruth Kestenbaum, Rachel Sutton and Annabel Logan Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod

Moss giving one of his four celebrated performances as the Pregnant Man in the Inconsiderate Aberrations of Billy the Kid, in which he is whipped by Ruth Kestenbaum and other militant feminist angels Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod

At a speed-dating event held at Fringe Central, where actors without plays could be matched with a director in search of a cast. Unfortunately no directors turned up, so the Guardianista Theatre Company and a new show, Who Broke Fred Goodwin's Windows?, was born Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod

Donning his monster costume for a cameo in Tales from the Shed, staged at Zoo Southside by children's theatre company Chickenshed Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod

At the second (and final) rehearsal of Who Broke Fred Goodwin's Windows?, a show devised in four hours and directed by Mike Tweddle. Moss plays the banker sponsoring the show and here watches Gemma Seren, playing the Queen, collapse into the arms of Dyonne Josiah, as Sir Fred Goodwin has grabbed the sword with which he has just been knighted Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod

Being made up as a lesbian angel to go flyering on the Royal Mile with the cast of the Inconsiderate Aberrations of Billy the Kid Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod

The cheap nylon wig was quickly wrecked in the driving rain that is invariably a feature of the Edinburgh festival Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod

The world premiere (and so far the only planned performance) of WBFGW. Fred Goodwin, played by Doug Crossley, and members of the cast sing a specially written song called 1-2-3-4 Yes! based on Goodwin's rule that any decision should be made in five seconds Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod

Suddenly, as the money underpinning the production runs out, the cast collapses and the Banker is left to explain that he and the actors have let Edinburgh down, the show is prematurely over, and we will never discover who broke Fred Goodwin's windows Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod

The unexpected final moment, when a lone piper enters the theatre from the street outside, playing the classic lament, Hector the Hero. The piper is memorialising all those left bereft by the collapse, but also sounding a note of hope and redemption, that by returning to traditional virtues and eternal verities, a new beginning is possible Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod

The audience gives an ecstatic reception at the conclusion of Who Broke Fred Goodwin's Windows? In fact, some were openly weeping Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Murdo Macleod