Best of the fest

If former dishwasher Gregory Burke's debut, Gagarin Way, was the talk of the 2001 festival then his sophomore effort,

was the most eagerly anticipated production of the Fringe in 2003.

Set in Gibraltar, during the long hot summer of 1982, it uses the Falklands War as a backdrop for a searing investigation into masculinity and patriotism as four British teenagers from army families struggle their way into adulthood.

Burke's ear for dialogue has often been commented on, and it triumphs here once again. But credit must also go to director John Tiffany, who complements the jagged testosterone pumping through the characters with a production of distinctive elegance and grace. Good news for Londoners - this is one of three productions from the Traverse to transfer south: it comes to the Hampstead Theatre in November.

The other two Traverse shows coming our way are both Royal Court co-productions. Stella Feehily's first play, Duck, is a small but powerful slice of social realism powered by an extraordinary performance from Ruth Negga. Clever, sexy and sharp, it lands at the Royal Court in November. But it is preceded in September by something rather different from hot Russian team The Presnyakov Brothers.

Playing The Victim, directed by Richard Wilson and performed by theatre eccentrics Told By An Idiot, is a surreal exposè of the tensions and depressions of contemporary Russia, given a dark and farcical edge.

Beyond the gentle aura of the Traverse, a gaggle of comedians have secured a hit with a new production of 12 Angry Men.

Bill Bailey, Jeff Green and Steve Furst (aka Lenny Beige) are among the unlikely cast members in this most serious of dramas.

But while audiences initially struggled with their automatic recognition factor (lots of inappropriate laughter whenever Bailey opened his mouth etc) it has ensured a position as one of the smash successes of the Festival.

Slightly off the beaten track, but featuring one of the finest performances on the Fringe, is Hurricane - a solo show from Richard Dormer about the torrid, traumatic life of snooker legend Alex Higgins.

For true originality however, America's The Riot Group get the most points for Pugilist Specialist

- a cool, stylish and highly cerebral piece of theatre about four marines on a mission to assassinate Saddam Hussein, and one of the first genuinely intelligent efforts to grapple with the fallout of September 11 on stage.