Sneak peek at 700 shows

The Edinburgh Fringe launches its full programme tomorrow - but Chortle today publishes details of more than 700 comedy shows heading to Edinburgh this August.

Already this is more than we listed in total for the 2007 Fringe, showing the massive explosion in shows over the past few years – which shows no signs of abating because of the clash with the London Olympics.

Here are some of the potential highlights:

• George Wendt, aka Norm from Cheers, leads a comedy musical version of the 1985 horror classic Re-Animator at Assembly George Square

• In another movie-inspired shown Still Game's Greg Hemphill leads the cast of Appointment With The Wicker Man, about an amateur theatre company staging a musical version of that chiller, which is on at the Assembly Rooms Fringe in George Street

• Thom Tuck, Phill Jupitus, Jo Caulfield and Simon Evans and Alistair Barrie star in a new satire, Coalition at the Pleasance Dome, imagining a Lib Dem leader struggling to save his party in the final days of Britain’s Coalition Government.

• Kumail Nanjiani, an American-Pakistani comedian who impressed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in April, making his Edinburgh debut with Assembly.

• Returning international stars include Americans Hannibal Buress at Pleasance Courtyard, Michael Wilmsow at Underbelly and Rick Shapiro at Assembly; Australia's Sammy J and Randy in The Inheritance (Underbelly) and New Zealand's Rhys Darby and Boy With Tape On His Face (both Pleasance Courtyard)

• And first-timers include Australian veteran Denise Scott at Assembly; Billy The Mime, best known for his appearance on The Aristocrats film, at Just The Tonic Caves; and Eddie Pepitone at Just The Tonic at The Tron.

• Chortle Presents Fast Fringe. An over-ambitious 12 acts, plus compere, all within an hour – making for a pacy, variety-filled sampler of the entire Fringe. A great show (6.40pm, Pleasance Dome) – even if we do say so ourselves.

• Dark stand-up Toby Williams is exploring the love life of his creation, Dr George Ryegold in a play that also stars Hattie Hayridge and Dan Mersh.

• Producers of LA's Super Serious Show, are bringing their format of 'loose artistic endeavour' to Assembly George Square. In the states it attracts some of the biggest names in comedy, but its 8.55pm slot might clash with some of Edinburgh's biggest names.

• A one-off show from old-schoolers Mick Miller and Jimmy Cricket

But there are far too many to pick from. Click here to browse our listings.

Published: 30 May 2012