Big Bite-Size Breakfast Menu One, Pleasance One, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

 VOWEL MOVEMENTS

A couple moving in together and very much in love.  She's from Surrey, he's from Leeds, and there's some north/south banter between them.  Then his sister turns up unexpectedly and brings the unexpected with her.  An amusing look at the power of accents and concepts of social class..

COUCH TO NO WAY

A jogger turns up, still looking fresh.  Shortly followed by her friend, who doesn't.  There's some tension between them and it's not just because of their differing speeds.  When a man joins them, looking like he's totally exhausetd, things get even tenser.  A complex love triangle where someone is going to get hurt.  Jealousy, challenges and laughs.

LOVE (TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY)

A dystopian view of the future dating scene.  Two potential mates have ten minutes to make up their minds, guided by the algorithm.  He wants to analyse, she wants feeling, can they find any common ground in such a short time?  Played for laughs, but there's a chilling edge to this one.

IN TWO MINDS

A cosy night in on the couch, films, maybe a takeaway, but a text message threatens to derail the evening, and maybe more.  What makes this one so funny is that we see 4 actors on stage - the couple and, stood behind them, their inner thoughts.  While the sitting duo say the things they think they should say, the voices behind tell us eactly what they are thinking.  A little slice of domestic disagreement made hilarious by this clever device.  One of the funniest Bite-Size offerings I've seen.

THE MALTESE WAITER

A man asking a psychiatrist for help.  His problem?  He's a superhero... of sorts.  His superpower is be able to turn any situation into a piece of film noir, and it's ruining his realtionship.  Can she help him resolve his issue and make the right choice?  Lighting changes help enhance the switches in mood, the American accents set the scene, and deliver a weird and funny story with a twist.  Great fun to end on.

Another enjoyable quintet of playlets, with In Two Minds standing out as one of the best I've seen over the years I've been going to watch this group.

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Menu Three, Pleasance One, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Here we are again.  Another Festival Fringe, and another three shows from the Bite-Size breakfast team to enjoy.  The usual format, of strawberries in the queue, coffee and croissants indie, and five mini-plays ro entertain.  Five actors, three of them familair faces from past shows.  This was a preview show, but, apart from one brief stumble over a line, you wouldn't be able to teel that they weren't already half way through the run.  I remain a fan.  Today's quintet were...

RUNAWAY DRESS

A woman in a wedding dress, seeing how she looks.  A panic when she hears a knock at the door.  All is not what it should be, as two old friends end up sitting down and making a decision.  Some good laughs, certainly an enjoyable watch, but perhaps a tad predictable. 

THE COMMUNITY GROUP

Four members of a neighbourhood chat group relate their posts and interactions.  One is selling a wardrobe, one looking to connect with an old flame, another is seeking attention, and the last is happy to give his views on what's wrong woth the world.  While there's a bit of stereotyping going on I find that forgiveable in a ten minute play where character needs to be dlearly defined very quickly.  And the characters are very recognisable to anyone who has experienced these groups.  Very funny, very familiar, and a sharp comment on the low quality of socail media intercourse.

A PERFECT TWO.

Such a happy couple, they seem to have been made for one another.  But when she suggests they each give the other a mark out of ten it's a clear invitation for things to go wrong, and it will take a lot of numerical working out to try and get back to where they were.  Beautifully played two hander that shows up the dangers of ego within a relationship.

CAFFEINE

A couple sit to have coffee after their meal, looking uncomfortable.  Why are they there?  To meet up with frinds who are late, or is there something else going on here?  As they explore the possibilities there is something happening between them, but will it become more than just chat?  An enjoyably awkward mini-tragedy.  

ON MUTE

It's Greg's big moment, a conference call that could lead to a promotion. But things quickly start to go wrong in a most unexpected manner, and he finds his chances of success dependent on more than just his own talents.  A good one to end the set on, pure farce with a lot of laughs as the unexpected unfolds.

Bite-Size is as worthy of your attention as ever.

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Menu One, Pleasance One, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

 For us the first was last, completing our viewing of this year's menu trio with number one on the list.  Which turned out to be the best of the set.

SUCH DREAMS AS STUFF IS MADE ON

When robbery and snobbery work together.  If you're going to be robbed you want it to be one that's going to impress the neighbours.  Even if that means giving the thieves a helping hand.  An amusing satire on social climbing and class pretensions.

THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING ON THE PHONE

Two people on a bus, both on their phones, each with their own issues to deal with.  The one-sided conversations interlace to hilarious effect, but underneath are two tales os sadness.  Clever stuff, beautifully played.

THE GAFFER

It's the FA Cup final so you'd expect everyone to be keyed up and ready to go.  So why is the manager of the underdogs sitting it out and not bothering to give a team talk?  His assistant, and the club's psychiatirst, trt to understand to cajole, to bully if neccessary, but nothing seems to work.  A surreal twist provides the truth, in a world where reality and virtual reality are so hard to tell apart.  

EMERGENCY CONTACT

His ex has turned up at the hospital because she's still, years after they split, listed as his emergency contact.  So when she finds that it's only a broken arm she's not too happy at having to come.  And even less happy when there seems to be some manipulation going on.  Very funny comedy with a twist and killer punchline.

ANNND SCENE (OF THE CRIME)

When the police are called to the theatre to invesigate a murder within an improv group, they find that the actors are not going to behave like normal witnesses.  So if you can't beat 'em...  Very funny comedy with some excellent dialogue and an interesting premise.

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Menu Three, Pleasance One, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

 Strawberries, croissants and coffee.  And the next five plays on the menu.

SOMEPNE'S SITTING THERE

She's on a Tinder date, in a busy pub, and he's late.  The battle to keep him a seat is getting on her nerves.  So when he does eventually turn up... will it work out?  Because she has already shown us her high expectations.  This one was fun, farcical at times, but with a feelgood factor.

DADDY ISSUES

Finding the right sperm donor for a gay couple's pregnanacy can be tricky.  But what if the answer is close at hand?  Maybe you can even keep it in the family...   An unexpected proposition has unexpected consequences, and a moral dimension that's given as much thought as you could expect from a ten minute drama.  A nicely balanced piece.

FIGHTING MISS RIGHT

A first date, and she's sure she's found what she's looking for.  But the other she has bneen bured too often, and she has rules, hurdles to be overcome, before a relationship can move on.  Is there a way to jump those hurdles faster?  She'll do everything she can to find out...  Awkwardness, inventiveness, the minefield of dating, an intrgiuing take on what people will do to find and resist love.

TOP FLIGHT

On a plane to Gdansk two people are brought together into sharing the reasons for their being there.  Escape being one of them, so when the flight is forced to turn back there's reason to be concerned.  But sometimes the solution presents itself, and offers something neither party had thought might happen.  A short play with a twist.  A special mention to Rosie Edards for her hilarious cameo as the stewaress.

THE APPLE INSPECTOR

A farcical black comedy set on a cider farm.  Apples, romance, murder and legal complexities.  A bit daft really, and probably the weakest of the quintet, but a bit of fun to ned the show on.

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Menu Two, Pleasance One, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Onwards and upwards for the Bite-Size crew, this year moving to Pleasance One.  Another three 'menus', with differing offers of short, sharp playlets.  A mostly familiar cast (two men, three women) with only one newcomer from previous years.  And the same offerings of strawberries, coffee and croissant before the show begins.  Still a delight.

For Menu 2 the five courses are...

THE THIRD WHEEL

A young couple of a Ferris wheel.  Him annoyed that a third person has been placed in their pod, her puzzled as to why.  He's got it all planned, the most romantic proposal ever.  But plans don't always work out, and that extra person is suddenly an important part of the scenario.  A sharp little comedy commenting on how easy if it is to find yourself with a different vision of your future to that of the person you want to share it with.

FOOD BANK

The only people at a food bank are those providing the service, and those in dire need of it.  But can you be both?  A new helper has turned up, and wants to turn everything into a drama.  Maybe he hasn't got the hang of it?  Or maybe he has...?   Played for laughs, but there is a side ordering of pathos in this one.  We aren't always what we pretend to be...

PROOF

A parcel arrives, the courier takes the photo of proof.  But then you relaise it's the worong hand in the pic...  Farce ensues, the gas man gets roped into the silliness.  Maybe a bit too silly?

BOTTOMLESS

Three old friends get together for pre funeral drinks  - something their dead pal had very much wanted, organised.  |A happy and sad occasion.  And argumentative.  And surprising, very surprising.  But old friendships remain strong - don't they?  A quick rollercoaster ride through pasts and presents.

WHATEVER, THE WEATHER

A US news channel, with an English weather presenter.  He just wants to tell the truth about the weather and what's causing it, while his co-presenters want to keep the sponsors sweet.  Who's going to break down first?  This one isn't the funniest, but it does point at one of the reasons why we still have climsate change deniers... (Also the only one of the five where all five cast memebrs made an appearance.)

Another excellent quintet from the Bite Size crew, always entertaining, and occasionally thought provoking, with scenarios that take the truth and stretch it a little.  Always worth seeing.

Kev Campbell Was He (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

There aren't many plays which begin with the hero running in and getting himslef plonked down on the toilet with a sigh of relief, but that's the unusual opening of this one man performance, written by and starring Alexander Tait.  He plays the eponymous Kev, a working class man who almost does, but does not quite, fit in with his pals.  It takes a chance meeting with a stranger, who becomes his mwentor and new friend, to make him realise that there is another world he could fit into.  Even if it means having to leave his present behind him.

Tait delivers an energetic performance, not just as Kev talking direct to the audience, but also the voices in the dialogue - old best pal, new nest friend, and Moira, his slightly scary boss.  Using parallels with The Great Gatsby, the difficulties of moving from one world to another are clear, because they have very different standards.  In his old life 'gay' is a common slur, in his new it's just what people are.  Yet it's hard to defend the new world against the old, the one that's nurtured him for so long, and hard for the new to understand the old.  The drama lies in trying to resolve that conflict, and deciding who he is.

The set (above) provides 5 seats for different locations, an idea that works well.  But the drive comes from Tait, who is mesmerising at times.  He's a man to look out for.

Dookin' Oot (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

Diane (Jannette Fogge) has had enough.  She's made it to 70, had a decent enough life, but now the body is packing up.  She's confined to her flat, seeing nobody except her carer Julie (Helen McAlpine) and young postie Connor (Kyle Gardiner).  Fortunately she has seen a solution to her problems - Dignitas.  A solution well beyond the grasp of her financial situation.

Julie's life a is a mess too.   Her abusive husband is getting too much to cope with.  But she has an idea how to make money for both her and Diane).  She'll become a dominatrix!  But how to make a start?

Connor has the answer - Onlyfans.  So he sets up the tech side and then the adventure begins.

It's very much played for laughs, and borders on good old-fahsioned farce at times.  But there are some serious undertones too, about the invibility of middle aged and elderly women, and the need to die with dignity.  Three strong performances, notably from McAlpine.

A hularious romp with a message should you choose to look for it.

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Menu Two, Pleasance Beyond, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

 The worst thing about seeing all 3 menus of Bite Size is knowing that you’ve seen them all.  Always entertaining, year after year, and 2024 was as good as ever. There were 6 playlets on this Menu.

Criminal Behaviour - A robbery that seems routine for the victims.  They're happy to talk to the robber, make suggestions even, but he's the one who gets something very different to what he was hoping for.  Funny and twisted.

Halloween - Not much by way of laughs in this one, but a very moving vignette of grief, and life in a small town.

Jitters - A new national service to cut down on the divorce rate, unlike any that have gone before.  Compulsory for brides, and maybe not such a bad idea…?  Funny and optimistic.

The Rota - When one of your group of friends finds herself out on a limb, she has expectations that the others will help her out - and she has the spreadsheet ready for them.  Just how committed will they be?  How far does friendship extend?

Chute! - He’s about to take his first ever parachute jump, but the instructor isn't doing much to settle his nerves.  Funny but dark.

In The Attic - Take every cliched trope about literary attics, and watch them being crammed into ten minutes of hilarity.  The mad wife, the ghost, the spurned lover - they are all here in a fast moving finale featuring all 5 cast members.  Gloriously silly.

Lots of variety on offer here, and as entertaining as the other 2 menus.

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Menu Three, Pleasance Beyond, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

 I reviewed Menu 1 a few days ago and this was, of course, more of the same, with another 5 mini dramas squeezed into an hour. If the vague theme last time was First Dates, then this time there was more of a US connection.

Celebrities in Space - A NASA team desperate for funding and looking for ideas to get public attention and bring the money in.  Firing well known celebrities into space might be the answer?  It takes them a while to clarify the idea, but it could end up making the Earth a better place…

Jilted - A bride running from the altar.  But what made her change her mind?  And what made her go along with the idea of marriage in the first place?  Lots of good reasons not to go ahead, but is there some the other way?  A moving reminder of the world as it used to be.

Once Flown - Katie is returning from Uni today and her parents are thrilled.  Or maybe less than thrilled.  And when the reality turns out to be surprisingly confusing they don’t really know what to think.  The explanation may be darker than they has anticipated.

Baggage - An American visitor to an East European country, trying to find their missing luggage in the airport.  But finding frustration instead.  Very funny, and a reminder that there are always real human beings behind the complaints desk.

Misfortune - Another US-set story, this time in a cosy restaurant.  A lovely romantic meal, but then the fortune cookies tell another story.  Another dark twist in store, and Liv Koplick is hilarious as the bored waitress.  

Not a single weak offering on this menu, with all 5 providing plenty of laughs, some occasional food for thought and a couple of unexpected twists.

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Menu One, Pleasance Beyond, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

This year's first helping of tea/coffee, strawberries, croissants, and mini dramas. Five actors performing five playlets in an hour.

Gnome Anne's Land sounds like a title that was then turned into a script. But it's pleasantly enjoyable anyway. A group of garden gnomes fear for their future, and realise the truth they've been hiding from. Featuring a union rep, groanworthy puns and surprise buttocks. Pure comedy.

True to You brings us a surprising first date off Tinder. It looks like being a failure, but maybe all is not what it seems? The capes reveal all. At it's best when breaking the fourth wall. A clever take on an established trope.

An Actor Prepares takes place in a theatre dressing room, a few minutes before curtain up. Simmering resentments between the old established star and the up and coming new boy boil over into a surprise twist. A nice nod to the old theatre.

Your Move was my favourite of the quintet. Another first date tale, this time set over a chess board. But the game is being played to some very unconventional rules. A smart metaphor for how relationships can play out.

Our Next Contestant features a TV dating show in which the host gets more than he bargained for. Revenge and a penguin make for an interesting mix. Unusual in having all five members of the cast make an appearance, and charmingly cynical.

There's no real theme to these 'menus', so it was a surprise to find first dates featuring so heavily! But none the worse for that. Wonderful early entertainment to start your day off with.

Pushin' Thirty (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

 Eilidh (Taylor Dyson) and Scott (Sam James Smith) were best friends at school. She's the singer, he's the guitarist, and that was the band. They were going to make it big. In London. Except that when their schooldays end Eilidh's mother is ill, she won't leave, so Scott goes south by himself, determined not to return until he has the fame and fortune he is certain awaits him.

Twelve years later and Scott is back in Dundee, dreams in tatters, while Eilidh works in a baker's shop.  A pie brings them together once again.  Can the old duo be rekindled, or has time destroyed their dreams?  And if one of them needs rescuing from their situation, which one is it?

The format seems a bit odd at first, each actor intertwining their narration of past and present with one another.  It's almost as if the writers (Dyson, with Calum Kelly) aren't sure how to portray the story in dialogue.  But it ends up working, as some action unfolds, and each get a chance to play other characters (Dyson is clearly having a great time portaying their ex-schoolmate Billy), the whole stage is wel used and the pace never flags.  There are original songs throughout.  (Neither has that great a singing voice, but they do sound really good singing together.) 

Perhaps the points being made are a bit heavy handed and sometimes predictable.  There's nothing subtle about Pushin' Thirty.  But it's all very easily forgiven for providing such great entertainment.  The performances are energetci and excellent, and the sense of fun carries it all along nicely.  Time rarely passes without yet another really funny line.

A lot of the PP series are thought provoking and relevant.  But there's definitely a place for pure entertainments like this.  Maybe the audience doesn't leave thinking about much, but the grins on their faces and laughter in their voices are achievement enough.  

Disfunction (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

 Disfunction is the truth or dare card game, with a bit of role play thrown in, that sisters Moira (Maureen Beattie) and Melanie (Maureen Carr) have played, and developed, over the course of their lives. It's high risk stuff, or can be if played with a passion, because it can unearth secrets that are sometimes best left alone.

But the siblings are in dire financial straits, so their goddaughter Tanya (Betty Valencia) has proposed selling Disfunction to a gaming company, and they are to give a demonstration, via Zoom, in a few minutes. Are they ready?

They start playing and secrets and tensions emerge. How far are they prepared to go to get the contract? And are the real sisters as dysfunctional as their game play suggests?

The opening twenty minutes feel a bit too slow, and the games itself is far too confusing for audiences to understand in a 50 minutes drama, but the pace, and laughter, picks up as things get more heated. Secrets and lies, ridiculous dares. While the performances are excellent (although Valencia was often hard to hear properly), and Carr in particular gets to show off her gifts for physical comedy (her cake eating sequence is hilarious), the confusion of the game leaks into the script. It's a ll a bit too muddled to make any real sense.

Fun, enjoyable, but ultimately unsatisfying.

Meetings With The Monk (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

 Performed and written by Brian James O'Sullivan, this is a semi-autobiographical tale of how he emerged from a low point in his life.

I say "tale", but that would be to minimise the cleverness of the "play" structure. Over the 50 minutes we see 3 Brians - the performer, the writer, and the character - as he both tells and deconstructs his story. Oh, and he even does the introduction that, in a more conventional production, would be done my a member of the Traverse staff.

If this sounds confusing the reality is different, as O'Sullivan guides through exactly what he's doing, providing his own narrator as part of the performance. It's all very meta, but done in such an entertaining way that it enhances rather than hinders. He uses a goodly number of props, and all of the space, right into the audience, to keep things mixed up, but the central story is never neglected.

The character Brian has been depressed, and seeks a way forward by spending a period in a monastery. One of the monks, Brother Felix (who, during the meetings, is played by the recorded voice of another actor, and spurs a bit of improv from O'Sullivan), talks with him, revealing his own humanity, ways of dealing with problems, and prompting Brian to look more within himself for what he needs.

It's a hugely entertaining show, full of laughs, but with some serious points to make. And if there's not really any profound ending, no answer to life, perhaps it offers something better than such trite simplicity. One of the best PPPs I've ever seen.

Stay (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

 A romcom musical with a heavy dosage of sentimentality and emotional manipulation. Sounds a bit too Hollywood for the Traverse? You'd not be far off.

Kit (Daisy Ann Fletcher) and Rowan (Craig Hunter) have met up in a scruffy public park to scatter the funeral ashes of a loved one onto a pond. It's a slightly tense encounter, what with them being past lovers. In fact they were engaged before she left him. So why are they doing this together? And are they're affections for one another still alive?

While much of the script is in natural dialogue, there are several songs - of the tune free variety so beloved by the modern musical. Even a bit of dancing. Both have decent voices, with Fletcher the pick of the pair, both for her singing and acting performances. The music doesn't really add anything, and I found myself getting bored during those parts of the action, and waiting for things to move along.

Just when it looks like we're moving towards a predictable ending a twist arrives which Hollywood would feel very much at home with), although there have been clues along the way. The emotional manipulation comes on strong at this point. There is some effort to provide a few thoughts on the subject of grief, but song isn't really the vehicle for something that serious.

There were some strong jokes scattered through the 50 minutes, and a well acted scene where some ducks exert an influence, but overall I was glad to see the end arrive.  

The Sheriff of Kalamaki (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

Dion is the 'Sheriff' of the Zakynthos holiday town.  He is because Big Yannis says he is (and because he asked for the title), and he's there to be the local law enforement.  That his duties include looking out for mainland police and the excise hasn'r raised his suspicions.  He's been on the island a long, long tiem, done many jobs, had a lot of drink and drugs, and he loves it all.  Doesn't he?  His world is so beautiful (while admitting he'd love to describe it all, if only he had the mind of a poet) and people respect him.  He's somone in the town.

So why is he so keen to hide away when he here's there's a man, a fellow Scot, looking for him?  Especially when it turns out that that man is his long estranged brother, come to save him from his alcoholic poverty.  Or is he?  As we hear about the family history it's clear there are other motives at play on both sides.

They're played by real life brothers Paul and Stephen McCole, who take Douglas Maxwell's clever script along at a cracking pace.  It's an interesting (and demanding) work structurally, with a long monologue from each sibling, broken by short peiods of dialogue in the middle and ending.  Which works well, because the overriding theme is the myths and delusions we tell ourselves so that we can emerge as the heroes of our own stories, and the doubts and realities that spoil the perfection of our tales.  The monologues allow the characters to say who they want to be seen as, and the imperfections in those pictures.

Both performances are impressive.  Paul's Dion is funny, friendly, immediately likeable in spite of all of his obvious flaws.  Stephen plays brother Ally as a man of god, buttoned up, hypocritical.  Both are delusional about their true sevels.  But aren't we all?

Coast (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

 Following the death of one of their mothers, two half brothers agree to go on a road trip to finally get to know one another, having grown up totally apart.  Kay (Beruce Khan) is the elder, resentful of the father that deserted him and his late mum, and had to grow up too soon.  Jay (Hamzah Aftab) is still, he thinks, the rebel of his youth, carelss of society's conventions.  The unlikely couple set off, with the conversation stilted and the silences awkward, hoping that they will bond along the way.  Well, Kay does.

Car problems mean things don't quite go as planned, forcing the brothers closer, and the conversation, and the admissions, become more and more personal.  Histories are explored, resentments aired, parents analysed, until a crisis grabs their joint attention and they are forced to make a decision that affects them both.  

The scrpit has a few stumbles along the way, and Khan is the more convincing of the two, but it's an enjoyable romp, often funny, and sometimes moving.  Was Philip Larkin right about your parents?  You'd think so from Coast.

Ship Rats (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

 It's 1800 and something. On a sailing ship in the north Pacific a distressed woman seeks a hiding place. To her surprise and horror she is joined by the ship's cook, a Chinese man, who seems strangely reluctant to give her up to the crew who are hinting for her. But they are not a natural team. To her a Chinaman is a lower form of human. To him she's a bringer of bad luck to any ship. Can they overcome their mutual bigotry and distrust to save their lives?

While certainly attempting to challenge bigotry, Alice Clark's short play brings us stereotypes. She is hysterical, impulsive. He is wise in the use of herbs and roots as curatives. It all feels a bit cliched.

And a 19th century sailing ship, however big it might be, is not like a modern cruise liner. There are few real hiding places, let alone an actual cabin, and a search for two people, the two most recognisable individuals on board, wouldn't take long for a determined crew. I'm all for suspension of disbelief, but this felt like a step too far.

The performances from Maddie Grieve and Sebastian Lim-Seet are strong enough. There's plenty of swearing (their speech follows modern English usage), vomiting and blood. There are elements of tension, and several laughs, in an interesting set. But overall the weaknesses dominate and I found myself checking my watch with ten minutes to go - never a good sign. Not the worst in the PPP series that I've seen, but a long way from being one of the better ones.

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Menu Three, Pleasance Beyond, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

 After the criticisms I made of Menu 2 (https://golive15.blogspot.com/2023/08/big-bite-size-breakfast-menu-two.html) I am pleased to report the Manu 3 sees the Bite-Size troup returning to their usual form. Six playlets crammed into the hour, and not a dud among them. Plenty of laughs, a couple of surprises, ands some surreal moments.

ANNIVERSARY

A long-married couple can't even be bothered to take each other for granted any more. But a contrived riddle might just make things better. A reminder of how important memories can be. No celeriac was harmed in the making of this play.

LA 8am

Two external narrators spell out the numbers on a couple having their breakfast. Nobody knows their future, do they?

NIBBLES

A fast food delivery cyclist turns up at your door, but instead of food they have bad news. Clever solo performance addressed direct to the audience, and with the best punchline of the set.

MURDER

How does it feel when your best friend gets all the success you think you deserve? Would you really want to kill them? We've all felt a bit jealous now and then, so everyone can see a bit of themselves in this one.

A RARE BIRD

A touch of magical realism in this touching tale of a woman undergoing an unusual life change, and seeking professional advice on how to handle it. The fantasy element of this story is well handled and takes you along for the flight.

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE IN A LIVING ROOM DOING NOTHING

Existential angst turned up to volume 11. An elegant silver dress, a charming smoking jacket, a so conventional room. What's it all for? Can Timothy provide a solution that breaks the cycle? What?! Stylised and stylish.

And coffee and croissants and strawberries of course. Fast paced, well acted and frequently imaginative, Menu 3 is definitely worth seeing. (And is my personal favourite of this years trio of offerings.)

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast shows, with 3 alternating menus, are on at 10.20 in Pleasance Beyond until the 28th.

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Menu Two, Pleasance Beyond, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

In my review of this years Menu One, I commented that Bite-Size had "never let me down so far". So was it then inevitable that the next show, Menu Two, would be disappointing? While the quality of the acting remained as high as usual, that of the scripts did not, with all of the first three of this quintet failing to deliver the usual punch. Fortunately the final pair brought a return to the usual high standard.

HONK!

A cynical Detective Sergeant, an overly-enthusiastic new DC, and a suspect brought form the park wearing only a blanket. A flasher or streaker maybe? The DC's unusual approach to questioning reveals something a bit different, and explains why a mallard got hurt in the process. It's an interesting idea, but felt like a stretch of silliness too far.

OF THEIR OWN

An Austen-period ball, and two thirty-something sisters who have fallen far behind in the marriage market. If they don't meet their matches tonight maybe some more drastic course of action is required. Otherwise they could end up in Birmingham. This all felt a bit contrived, with a clumsily predictable ending.

THE NEW NORMAL

There's a new Big Boss heading up the company, and sweeping changes ensue. But is what is happening really normal? Just how different will the building, and the people in it, be as security tightens and new rules make life a lot less tolerable? Another script that takes a thin idea a bit too far, although it could be seen as a parody of the evils of billionaire crazies like Bezos and Musk.

THE IMPROV CLASS

This was more like it. A trainee improv artist struggles to cope with the curve balls her acting partner throws at her. But is her goal to improve her performance for an audience, or could there be something much more important behind her desire to learn? An interesting reminder that artistic skills can sometime be transferrable into more basic human situations.

CHARITY

Like The New Normal, the final offering brought all five members of the cast onto stage. We've all learned to be wary of chuggers on our streets, but are there some who really are best to avoid? Charity collections gone extreme as matters escalate for one woman caught in their trap.

Of course you still get the coffee, croissant and strawberries, so some things never change, and there were more than enough enjoyable moments for the audience not to feel short changed. But if you can only get along to one Bite-Size performance, this might not be the best one to choose. 

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast shows, with 3 alternating menus, are on at 10.20 in Pleasance Beyond until the 28th.

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Menu One, Pleasance Beyond, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

This is one I look forward to every year, and it's never let me down so far. The format is as it's always been, with 3 'menus' each providing 5 or 6 mini-playlets. Minimalist sets, rapid costume changes, and a lot of laughs. Today's peformance was Menu One.

PROMOTION

Two women, colleagues, rivals, one a company veteran, one a newcomer, both up for the same promotion. A surprising challenge arrange to decide who comes out on top. Can rivals work together and what is really going here? A quick fire opener with some good one liners.

DATING WITH DOSTOYEVSKY

A woman and man in a bar. She sits at one table reading Crime and Punishment, he at another looking a bit lost. Could Dostoyevsky bring them together, or with that really odd guy get in the way? There's a hint of Truly, Madly, Deeply in this little romcom, and a challenge for the actors to keep it all making sense. Clever and funny.

BASIC

Two sisters getting for a night out. And is younger sis looking for the impossible? Buy why are they drinking out of baked bean tins? A sharp comment on the stresses of trying to live up to social media and the latest 'thing'.

INEVITABLE

My personal favourite of the quintet pitches a self confessed nerd into the perils of dating. If he works out all the possible outcomes then surely he can make the right choices? Or do they all end in misery? The dangers of overthinking writ large in the search for love.

JUST STOP

We see a lot about environmentalists protesting, but what happens when they stage one of their stunts in the wrong place? And why is that cat prancing about? Hypocrisy on show as two cultures collide.

All 5 are enjoyable, all funny, and most provide something to think about. Plus you get coffee, croissant and strawberries. Not to be missed.

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast shows, with 3 alternating menus, are on at 10.20 in Pleasance Beyond until the 28th.