Review: The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show, EdFringe

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show offers a rotating selection of “menus”. Each day features a different menu of five short plays, performed back-to-back. It’s a fun and lively way to watch a variety of comedy sketches in the morning. A bonus is that as you enter Pleasance One at Pleasance Courtyard, you are given a coffee (or tea) with a croissant! I saw Menu Two which includes The Third Wheel by Amelia Stephenson, Food Bank by Simon Nye, Proof by Matthew Brown, Bottomless by Thomas Willshire and Whatever, the Weather by Tom Hartwell.

It’s always tricky for short plays to feel fully formed. There’s often a risk of underdevelopment, as the audience only has a brief time to connect with the cast. However, these plays manage to deliver both well-defined characters and strong, satisfying stories. The cast (Rosie Edwards, Rachel Fletcher-Hudson, Kat Johns Burke, Hartwell, Willshire) do a fantastic job of keeping the audience entertained. Some have a wider range of characters to play than others, but overall, the performances are consistently engaging and very, very funny.

Between the segments, music plays in the background as the cast move furniture and arrange different sets. This wasn’t as sleek as it could have been, and the audience chatted during these moments, which pulled you out of the viewing experience. This is a very minor criticism, however, and with a touch more refinement, the transitions could better complement the quality of the plays.

The high spot was The Third Wheel. The plot is simple: a proposal on a Ferris wheel goes terribly wrong when the ride breaks down and a third person unexpectedly gets involved. The physical comedy shines in this play, particularly when the characters move around in the suspended carriage, which is stuck high in the air. As they wobble side to side, we hear creaking noises which amplifies the humour, keeping the audience laughing throughout.

Some of the plays drag slightly when the nuanced, clever humour turns into over-the-top farce. This occurs during a rather bizarre segment of a wood-chopping competition. They work better when using a balance of physical comedy with allowing the jokes to land naturally.

The cast brings high energy to each play, keeping the audience entertained from start to finish. The variety of characters is a highlight, demonstrating both skill and creativity. It is a perfect way to start the day, and the seats of the theatre were more forgiving too – always a bonus at the Fringe.

Written by: Amelia Stephenson, Simon Nye, Matthew Brown, Thomas Willshire and Tom Hartwell
Produced by Bite Size Plays

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show has completed its performances
at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival