The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show has been a Fringe staple for 16 years, with a simple formula: provide short plays by up-and-coming talent, served up with free breakfast.
I last attended many years ago when the team were in C Aquila, but now they’ve (rightly) secured the larger Pleasance Beyond which was buzzing for the second of three ‘menus’ of plays starring Thomas Willshire, Kat Johns Burke, Tom Hartwell, Liv Koplick and Claira Parr.
We kicked off with ‘Criminal Behaviour’, where a robbery takes an unexpected turn; Claira’s ditzy tea lady had delightful shades of Victoria Wood. ‘Halloween’ was short, sweet and poignant, with a nice portrayal of the ‘big fish in a small pond’ feeling of moving from city to countryside and a gut punch of an ending. ‘Jitters’ explores what we love (or hate) about our partners through the Second Thoughts agency for brides-to-be, while in ‘The Rota’ the child-free vs. parenting debate dives into spreadsheets, responsibility and whether any of us would choose childcare for a friend over a spa day.
‘Chute!’ follows a charity skydive and was by far the darkest, most thought-provoking offering. Rounding off the menu, there’s skeletons ‘In The Attic’, a joyfully chaotic sketch reminiscent of Ghosts but with a saucy twist. Thomas’s increasingly confused Victorian husband was hilarious – this was definitely my standout, and I’d love to see a full play of it!
The three play rosters rotate daily, so there’s bound to be something for everyone. Menu 2 was a great blend of comedy and darkness for me, plus the croissants, strawberries and coffee served in the courtyard outside were top-notch. Bite-Size goes from strength to strength and I can’t wait to see what the next menus bring.
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The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show is at Pleasance Beyond, 1-26 Aug (not 14th, 23rd)