At this time of year, every man and his dog (except this little puppy and, oh, about a billion others who are sitting at home watching the Olympics) is at the Edinburgh Festival. It has a definite antipodean tinge, as the current AD is our very own Jonathan Mills. Local lads Barrie Kosky and Gideon Obarzanek are there flying the flag for Melbourne in the main program, and so far as I can see doing us proud - The Tell-Tale Heart (under the aegis of Malthouse Melbourne, their overseas moniker) has won rave reviews and Chunky Move's spectacular dance piece Mortal Engine is certainly making it big in the pictures department. I think every second independent theatre in Melbourne is over there too, battling it out in the Fringe. Let us know how you're going, guys.

Meanwhile, closer to home, La Mama Theatre is continuing its gargantuan effort to buy its theatre. They're still $500,000 off the mark, having raised an astonishing $1.2 million since May. On September 15, Greg Carroll and Mike Bishop are organising a gala fundraising night at the Athenaeum Theatre, with a glittering line-up of local stars - the list so far includes Gerry Connelly, Judith Lucy, Michael Kieran Harvey, Brian Nankervis, Jane Clifton, Simon Palomares, Vulgargrad (a Russian criminal folk band fronted by one Jacek Koman) and many others. Tickets are $55 and you can book at 9650 1500 or Ticketmaster 1300 136 166.

If you can't make it, you can still donate. Drop in cash /post cheques or gold bars to La Mama, 205 Faraday St, Carlton, P.O.Box 1009. Receipts will be posted and all donations are tax deductible.

In other news, Tom Holloway has won the AWGIE best play award for Beyond the Neck, a play which explores the Port Arthur Massacre. You can get your hands on the script at Playlab, and then, primed for more Holloway, you can get along to Red Stitch from August 29 to see the premiere of Red Sky Morning, Holloway's most recent work, which was developed by the theatre. Bookings 9533 8083 or online.