Twitter.  Tapas.  Twenty20 cricket.  For all the best things in life, it seems, there’s a new and snappy alternative.  And for the past couple of years, locally-based White Room Theatre have applied the same concept to Fringe entertainment – serving up a smorgasbord of fun-sized delights up under their inspired Bite-Size banner.

The Bite-Size format is, ultimately, a simple one: you still get a full-length show for your money, but it’s snipped into handy ten-minute segments.  Aside from the diminutive duration, there’s little to connect the varying pieces: expect a procession of themes, plots and actors, which last year encompassed genres as varied as international politics and a zombie flick.  It’s fast, entertaining and often very funny, and if one of the vignettes doesn’t work for you – well, it won’t be long till the next one.

Don’t imagine, though, that this stuff is easy… the plays are small, but they’re perfectly formed.  When we saw a Bite-Size comedy number at a press event in August, we remarked that it left “even seasoned hacks in stitches”, thanks to the crisply sharp dialogue and urgently energetic acting.  And we’re far from the only ones to have savoured these delicious morsels: they won the audience award in 2008’s Argus Angels, as well as picking up recommendations from the Guardian and others during their time up in Edinburgh.

This year’s helpings come in a choice of two sizes: a five-act “brunch” around mid-day, or a seven-part, ninety-minute “tea party” to see you through the afternoon.  And in case that whole food-related metaphor was a bit too subtle for you, you’re promised literal bite-sized refreshments to enjoy together with the show.  So with the Bite-Size plays proving such a hit for the last couple of years, we’re left with just one question: please sir, can we have some more?