The List doesn't generally review student theatre – those shows that slip through have simply disguised their status sufficiently. This is not because student theatre doesn't offer quality but because the purpose of student theatre is as much about offering emerging actors and makers the opportunity to experience the thrill of performing within a vibrant festival environment as it is about the audience experience. The parameters of quality and success for a student company are not the same as those for a professional company.

Professional isn't a code-word for good (observe the low star ratings given to companies that have been together for years), but a simple label of status. By not reviewing student work, The List acknowledges that it demands a different kind of critical assessment, one that isn't the same as for professional theatre. It's about the experimentation, the opportunity.

Having said that, student theatre adds to the dynamism of the Fringe, frequently and boldly tackling topics that are relevant and crucial.

While there are plenty of adapted classical scripts and (elsewhere) revivals of Shakespeare, one strength of youth and student theatre is the space it allows for younger performers to explore ideas that are immediate, contemporary and relevant. Student theatre may not share the same intentions as professional theatre, but it does offer excitement, energy, the chance for emerging creatives to shine or fail and, perhaps most importantly, an opportunity for voices that are often excluded from public discussions to be heard.

They will receive reviews elsewhere, but here's a list of ten student shows that promise rich and exciting material for conversation.

The Lucky Durhams

Ah Dinnae Ken
A Romeo and Juliet scenario set in the run-up to a second Scottish Independence Referendum, STAG address political turmoil, the decline of Great Britain and the eternal power of love.
theSpace @Niddry Street, 3–18 Aug

The Bacchae
St Andrew's Mermaids tip their hat to the god whose ritual worship kicked off the entire theatre industry. Unsurprisingly, Dionysus is vengeful and exacting, encouraging cross-dressing and ultimately destroying lives and cities – just like the Fringe itself.
Greenside @Infirmary Street, 13–25 Aug

Big Love
Another classical script, this time Aeschylus' Suppliants adapted by Charles Mee places the Athenian tragedy at the service of contemporary concerns about gender and sexuality
Central Hall, 13–16 Aug

Eight
Ella Hickson's monologues span the diverse experiences of 'Britain as it is today': Parker and Snell Youth Company revive a 2008 Fringe success.
theSpace on the Mile, 13–18 Aug

The Lucky Durhams
With a multi-media edge, Youth Connection remember the horrors of the Somme, the battleground for some of WWI's most brutal trench-based fighting.
theSpace @Venue 45, 14–19 Aug

Manx Fairy Tales and Legends
Another Parker and Snell joint, this time bringing classic folk tales back in a story-telling style.
theSpace on the Mile, 13–18 Aug

Mercy Me
Although millennials are supposed to be ahistorical in outlook, the American High School Theatre Festival looks back to an all-girls' school founded in 1885 to examine ideas of 'social justice, spirituality, community and justice'.
Central Hall, 3–8 Aug

My Mate Dave Died
Sheffield University Theatre Company invite the ghost of Dave back to haunt his pal. Since only Jimmy can see Dave, hi-jinks are inevitable.
Greenside @Infirmary Street

Vox: A Fairy Tale for a New Age
This entry in the American High School Theatre Festival has a familiar millennial concern: the quest to find 'your own voice'.
Central Hall, 13–17 Aug