Tapeface

Swindon Arts Centre

Old Town, Swindon

HERE we were, fists clenched, baying until our voices went hoarse, egging on the poor spectator in the midst of the most bonkers challenge known to man.

On stage comic Tape Face, his mouth gagged by gaffer tape, hovered a ping pong ball atop a hairdryer. To his right his roped-in assistant wielded a toy golf club, whacking the air, trying but miserably failing to slam the pesky ball into a dustpan-type contraption held aloft by a fellow audience member.

Twenty-odd attempts later, balls were shooting off the stage in every direction. When at last he sent one flying into the pan, the audience spontaneously rose to their feet, flailing their arms, mad with euphoria (we had rooted for them every step of the way after all) like a human Mexican wave.

This was by far the most baffling but surprisingly gripping and tense moment of stand-up I had ever witnessed. And I’d wager I wasn’t alone at the Arts Centre.

To define Tape Face’s act would be not only pointless but self-defeating. He doesn’t speak. How could he with tape plastered across his face? He is not a mime. And yet he has a knack for physical comedy. He can reduce 200 people on a dull Monday night to hysterics by simply popping on two oven mists and jiggling about in perfect tempo to Endless Love. A veritable MacGyver of comedy, he can turn a shirt, duster and couple of fly swatters into a weirdly risqué puppet show and build a whole routine around a pair of sunglasses.

He loves his gadgets and most of all, his audience participation. By the time he took a bow after an impossibly fast-paced glut of gags, all set to a varied repertoire of pop hits, soundtracks and even spoken word, no fewer than 20 (reticent at first) spectators had been dragged on their feet, to perform such bizarre tasks as ‘jumping’ circus feline-style through a ring of fire - understand a piece of cut-out newspaper - do suggestive hip thrusts and jazz fingers to Blame it on the Boogie and perform ballet steps. He even challenged a young man to a stapler fight, Wild Wild West-style.

Kudos to his willing victims, who jumped into the fray with gusto, matched the Tim Burtonesque Tape Face’s enthusiasm, followed the bossy boot’s madcap orders like troopers even when they didn’t have the faintest idea what he was getting at with his gurning, eyeballing and urgent gesticulating. Many went the extra mile, not merely playing along but taking the lead, throwing in their own dance moves and a few grimaces for good measure.

Tape Face has to be the most exciting, inventive, bold and downright barmy comic on stage today.

Marion Sauvebois