Bite sized breakfast - 360 Vision

Bite-sized breakfast - 360 vision

Bite-sized productions are an entirely civilised affair despite the relatively early 10:30 am start time. A fresh cup of coffee and a pastry are provided at the entrance and apon taking their seats the audience are tempted further with fresh strawberries; flirtishly presented on a silver tray.

There are three "menu" selections to these performances, which conisit of four short plays each. If you like the four you've just seen, you can come back on the two following mornings and see a selection of different ones.

The menu I saw was number 3; a selection of comedy, poignant story telling and some emotional hi-jinks.

Bad Bride - Bridgette Burton

This told the comic tale of a bride (Lisa Beresford) who, in order to stay focused, has taken one red bull too many and totally lost the plot. The play is purely for laughs and warms up the audience with the groom's deadpan performance (Sean Williams) perfectly matchingthe brides cloud-9 condition.

Thin Air - Thomas Coach

Next was a touching tale of a hire wire perfomer (Alice Robinsion) attempting to get back on the wire after witnessing the death of her husband. He "went down" (circus vernacular for falling) two days earlier and she has yet to regain her nerve. The performance, from the edge of the audience and balanced atop some steps, is a monologue. It's touching and sentimental, but the writer doesn't focus enough for a short piece, pulling in to many elements that allow the early morning audiences attention to wane. There was also a curious costume decision; lose jumper and skirt instead of the glittering spandex associated with high wire work. The direction also felt a little vague, with the actress failing to give the impression of poise and balance required by these fearless performers.

Thespian - Chris White

This is an actors dream play. Take two men from Brooklands, put them on a bus and get them to run through various films they've seen in preparation for one man to attend an auction and escape his job as a builder. It's a great showcase for both Sean Williams and Andy Hutchison, but the play feels just that; a showcase. Entertaining though it is, there was little depth to this piece, save for a truly touching rendition of Anne Frank.

The Bar - C J Johnson

A choco-holic (Alice) and her personal trainer (A very fit & trim Lisa) battle to the death over a bar of fruit and nut that the addict lusts after and the fitness evangelist despises. And that's the plot! But it's freaking hilarious. Simple slapstick that's effortlessly performed by both women. The costumes (or lack therein) are kind on the eye too!

Perfect Stillness - Jane Miller

A husband (Andy) sits and writes a eulogy for his wife (Lisa) who lies in a coffin beside him. Except she won't stay dead and keeps interrupting his musings to put the record straight about their first meeting, their true origin of his wedding vows and just how much she really hated those little tea pots he kept buying her. This simple story, about grief and coming to terms with loss, caused as many laughs as it did leaking eyes. It had that rare perfection of a short piece, containing a beginning middle and end, while retaining an emotional balance that refused to tip into plain sentimentality.

Something for every one then. Inevitably of course some pieces will work more for you than others, but in a smorgasbord choice such as this it's likely you will find more to like than dislike.

I'd like to give this production a full five stars, but the costume error in Thin Air and occasional unfocused direction brings it down to a unshamful four stars out of five.

This is the second bite-size I've seen at the Fringe, my hope is to see them many, many more. Producers of short plays (that still tell a complete story) appear to be rare animals in this day and age. Supporting those who make the effort is all to important for the future of emerging writers and actors. Go see it and start your day in style with a coffee and a flirty strawberry.