Review of The Boy With Tape On His Face: More Tape, Fringe 2013

Eventually you hear enough about a certain act that you just have to go see it. This was the case with The Boy With Tape On His Face.

I was concerned. Why? The usual doubt when going to see a Fringe comedy act in which you don’t know the disposition of the comedian – audience involvement. What’s more is the fact that I had been forewarned that there is a lot of audience involvement with the show.

Here’s the bad news; nowhere is safe. The tape faced boy will roam up and down the steps of the Pleasance Grand and invite people from deep into the rows of seats to join him on stage.

Here’s the good news; it’s all fun.

Sure, you do have to stand in front of a crowd of thousands but once you’re there you will likely be playing a silly game.

The boy, this strange tape faced boy, is well aware that audience participation if scary for some in the audience. There’s a whole gag in that and it’s a brilliant one. It’s one that this review won’t touch on for fear of spoilers and I hope no one else ruins it too.

Having made the attempt to avoid spoilers the bottom of this review does include a short video from 2011 that features The Boy With Tape On His Face. I’m including it because it was the YouTube clip that was shown to me in order to persuade me to go watch the live set.

It’s not just that the boy has tape on his face – it covers his mouth. Does this get in the way of communication? Not one bit. It just makes for better jokes, the sense of fun and the touch of surreal.

I think the skill the Boy With Tape On His Face has is to mix surreal with silly. That might seem easy but having watched countless attempts at it in the Fringe over the years I promise you it is not. This is a skill that the tape faced boy has in large quantities; he oozes it.

The chances are high you’ll be a convert and will love the show too.