The Boy With Tape On His Face

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With wide-eyed innocence and a deeply charming sense of mischief, Sam Wills returns to Edinburgh with his marvellous creation The Boy With Tape On His Face. 2011's run offers Fringegoers the chance to see last year's critically acclaimed show in a much larger setting.

The premise is simple. With a strip of gaffer tape covering his mouth, Wills channels the spirit of the great silent clowns: Chaplin, Keaton, Marceau. What follows is an hour of expertly formed silent comedy performed with captivating charisma. Some of it may be reasonably established vaudevillian fare—Wills isn't above throwing his arm through a lady's dress and caressing himself—but there are more than enough smart, funny and original moments to really make this something special. 

Perhaps most striking of all is that, for some reason, being unable to talk gives Wills a commanding sense of authority and wisdom. It also removes any hint of malice from his routines. True, the audience participants are invariably the butt of the joke, but there is an affection behind the laughs that serves to reassure each new person who clambers on stage. The end result is a surprisingly intimate and interactive experience made doubly impressive by the sheer size of his audience.

Throw in a nicely selected musical playlist and the results are incredible. It may simply be a re-run of last year's show, but for those that weren't lucky enough to catch it first time round, The Boy With Tape On His Face is a genuine Fringe highlight.