Review: Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show (rating 5/5)
This Show is back for its 14th year at the Fringe, and it has moved venue, upsized its audience capacity and enrolled a new member of the cast. It also presents 15 new short plays, five of which can be seen every morning on a rotating basis. There are three menus and the production depends on which day you visit.
Our opener was Date with Death, a darkly humorous take on online dating from a young woman’s perspective. She finds it difficult to deal with men who request another date, continually text and call her, and generally become difficult to let down. So she comes up with a shocking solution.
Likewise, in Someone Gets Shot two men in a locked room face a dilemma, with a bullet in a gun and no way out, until one is shot by the other. This is fast and tense and makes us think: what would you do?
Mrs Thrale Lays On Tea is more of a mime sequence using limited dialogue. Rather cleverly done, it involves three characters Mrs Thrale, Mr Johnson and Molly the maid. The two main characters only say Mrs Thrale or Mr Johnson while acting out a sequence using vocal emphasis and body language to express the meaning to the audience. A very funny sequence set in 18th century Britain.
One of our Comedians is Missing is a laugh-a-minute sketch built around an idea that by resurrecting and launching dead British comedians into the atmosphere, the British army will save the world. The play included little digs about Americans having no sense of humour which went down well with the audience, but not necessarily with the Americans. It feels very Monty Pythonish.
Just Desserts deals with packed lunches in an office, and how people often help themselves to what is not theirs. However, in this scenario staff take it upon themselves to catch the thief, and to teach the culprit a deathly lesson, highlighting how we are capable of getting things out of all proportion when under stress at work.
Each 10-15 minute playlet is an engaging and thoughtful piece of creative writing which is well acted. They seamlessly move from one to the other, with quick changes of set, maintaining audience attention and anticipation.
An added bonus of these plays is that the audience receives on arrival a tasty Scottish strawberry, followed by coffee or tea, and a fresh croissant. Excellent value and may it long continue.
Pleasance Courtyard until 26 August (not 13 and 19)
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