Fringe review – The Big Breakfast (rating: 5/5) Piano Music of Erik Satie (rating : 5/5)
A day off and an opportunity to grab a few quick shows, especially early in the day which is an added pleasure for those who may have other commitments later on.
The Big Breakfast offers three “menus” of ten-minute comedies and mini-dramas and, having enjoyed last year’s offering, it was high on the list of must-see shows this time.
I chose Menu 1 which featured five short plays, and it was an hour of excellent, humorous, entertainment that was great value. A particular favourite was Rebrand, a satire on the communications industry that would have resonated with anyone from that sector.
We also had a story about a flagging marriage, a man who could read wishes, another on banning love in the future and a relationship with an alien. Quite a mix.
These bite-size plays are served with croissants and coffee and provide a lovely wake-up to the day.
This show can be seen at the Pleasance Dome on Monday 28th. Menu 3 can be can be seen on Sunday, 27th
Piano Music of Erik Satie by Peter Bream
The soothing tones of Satie provided the perfect way to relax from the madness of the Fringe. In an hour long recital Peter Bream captures the mood of the man who was an inspiration to Debussy, Stravinsky and Ravel, among others.
Satie, the son of a Scottish mother, was ahead of his time; a musical surrealist who is most famous for the Gymnopedies.
Here, however, Bream (right) presented lesser known compositions: Songerie vers Jack, Le Fils des Etoiles, Descriptions automatiques and 3 Sarabandes. He transports the listener to the life and times of a composer whose influence continues into modern music. John Cage drew on his eccentricity and Janet Jackson’s Someone to Call My Lover borrows the melody of Gymnopedie number 1.
Bream trained at the Royal Northern College of Music and now lives in Edinburgh where he is in demand as a piano tutor.
Afterwards I spoke to him about Satie’s score for the ballet Parade. Bream instantly began playing a section which drew applause from the departing audience who paused to listen to the sublime and unique magic that Satie created.
Piano Music of Erik Satie was performed at St Andrew’s and St George’s West, George St
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