Five minutes into Tape Face my sister found herself up on stage with Mr. T. Face, racket in hand, trying to hit a tennis ball he swung on a string from the helmet on his head. She didn’t aim well. (Ouch.)
Whimsical and a bit mad, we see Sam Wills, the Face behind the Tape dare the crowd to perform a myriad of oddball vignettes with him and for the room at the Pleasance Grand. To detail them here would give it all away. Audience interaction is an integral part of any Tape Face show, and, when you’re not really thinking about it, the interactive bits are merely silly and fun. But, if you want to get all pensive about it, it’s a testimony to trusting in the kindness of strangers.
Last year saw a more obvious theme on finding the beauty in the every day, essentially the ethos behind any Tape Face show, but this one was different. While still hilarious, it felt hurriedly designed: the gags weren’t as grand, the theme wasn’t as strong. It must be hard to top 99 red balloons, but this ending was still shiny.
In all, Tape Face is still a spectacle, endearingly childlike and hilarious, but the buildup leaves familiar fans with a cocked head and a question mark.