Review: Tape Face (Garrick Theatre)
Some people would cower in fear at the thought of having to entertain a theatre of 700 people on their own, never mind doing so without being able to speak. But for two hours, without muttering a word, Tape Face is effortlessly captivating.
Sam Wills has has performed at fringe festivals across the globe, starting out as a circus performer in his native New Zealand. His breakthrough came when he made the final of America's Got Talent, impressing Simon Cowell by lobbing plungers at Mel B along the way. Now, he brings his mischievous act Tape Face, to the Garrick for a seven-week run.
For the full two hours, Tape Face, with punk rocker slick black hair and dark black eyeliner, roams the dressing room set which is littered with boxes of props and titbits. Throughout the show, he has a thick piece of gaffatape covering his mouth, which means he is unable to make the slightest of sounds. As he waits for a fictional show (also called Tape Face) to begin, this becomes his playroom, and he drags members of the audience up to play with him.
He manages to use the most basic of household objects to create scenes of utter silliness. With the help of one audience member, he has a wild west showdown with nothing but three balloons and a staple gun each. He uses an impressive mix of music and physical humour, including turning two oven gloves into lovers singing "Endless Love", to a moon-walking pair of shoes miming the Jackson 5. It's daft, inoffensive humour for all ages and languages.
Tape Face was renowned as a fringe show, and you can see why. Condensed into an hour, I can imagine this show would be a non-stop gagfest. But here, it's just a little too long, and some of the tricks feel like filler and lack Tape Face's trademark weird humour. However, placing it in a theatre as big as the Garrick does enable a really heartwarming spectacle of a finale.
It's basically an evening of mischief for cheap laughs, but not once during the show did I find myself thinking about Comey or coalitions. If you're suffering from the doom and gloom in the world today, Tape Face is the perfect antidote.
Tape Face runs at the Garrick until 23 July.
