Satirical swipes at the political establishment, apocalyptic visions of the future and more jokes than ever before – visitors to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe which opens on Saturday will be treated to a typically cynical view of the world.

More than 240 venues in the city will be competing to attract audiences to appreciate ever-more inventive critiques of global capitalism: at the Pleasance Courtyard, The Meeting promises “form-busting comedy installation set in an actual boardroom”.