Brighton Fringe 2008
Low Down
Bite-size Plays are a series of ten-minute playlets staged at Cella in the Sanctuary off Western Road. They are by various authors, drawn from the winning entries of the Bite Size International Playwriting Competition.
Review
They were all excellently written, superbly acted and well deserving of a five star commendation. Different pieces, strong writing, impressive, highly competent performances, well chosen plays.
Celebrity
By Trevor Suthers
A pink clad chavette gives it all for Celebrity. After all: ‘…if no one knows who you are what’s the point of existing? A teenager on work placement has all the answers.’ She made her appearance in between the following acts.
WLTM
By Kate Rudkins
The first of these was a two handed comedy about two incompatibles in a video dating booth. A chirpy sweaty fat man who was none too cultured, but a joke and a prim and ‘stubborn’ middle aged matron who didn’t seem a much of a larf. Well played intelligent and funny. You wanted them to date so much but you knew it was never going to happen, but, as it said in the blurb ‘are they so different after all?’
Him
By Andy Thomas
This was about a man with a flower, berated by his beautiful wife for not slapping her around a bit. This bloke just can’t win, flowers, chocolates, restaurants and consideration and all the bitch wants is a good hiding! When he attempts to reason with he is presented with the hand written draft of a play in which this scenario is his fantasy. So in essence he’s just a sad git with a morbid fantasy! No not a bit of it because he isn’t even that tangible; he is a character in a play by his wife. He doesn’t exist. Her brutish husband, the real one, does exist and the sound of his car returning is the last thing we hear. A very effective piece with a twist that disturbs.
The Script
By Trevor Suthers
If you’ve ever tried hawking round a script to theatre or TV companies, you’ll grate your teeth at this one. If you’ve never committed such a masochistic enterprise, this little comedy should cure you of ever trying. A playwright is interviewed by a producer and a director who have selected her work from thousand of entries for its outstanding originality. They then explain in fawning and sanctimonious detail how it must be altered and destroyed to conform with everything else.
It was very funny.
Uncomfortable Silences
By Andy O’Keefe
This piece was about a man in love who can’t shag his totty. Well that’s the abridged version but it is an altogether a more subtle and touching tale. Nick is in love with his soul mate, a woman with a nihilistic streak to her self-esteem. Although inflamed with lust, he is afraid to do the deed, lest it spoil the beauty of there friendship. A strong well acted near-monologue.
So, overall, it is the choice of pieces creating an engaging mix, the strong writing and performances that make this a must-see. Bite-size deliver again.
Show Website
http://www.bite-size.org
