– Gayathri Kanagasundaram contributed to this report.
The Lincoln Comedy Festival officially started on September 29th at Lincoln’s Drill Hall with the star of the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Boy with Tape on His Face.
Support on the night came from Phil Buckley, a great observational comic who managed to really lighten the crowd and get everyone in the mood – especially his gags about his chat up lines and the “Film Quote” game.
Following Buckley’s set came the interval. While people checked their phones and got drinks from the bar, they also made nervous glances up to the stage and started to fidget awkwardly, as The Boy himself was sat on the stage, merely perusing the crowd.
Prior to the show beginning, the announcer said: “Welcome to the Boy with Tape on His Face. This show revolves around audience participation so, if he asks, just play along. ” It was made very clear that no-one was safe when The Boy went all the way to the back of the audience to pick his first volunteer.
The Boy, whose real name is Sam Wills, was like a puppet master, making a person pushing a button that says “don’t push,” re-enacting a Spanish bull fighting scene and playing golf using a hairdryer and a dustbin pan and brush.
He also made oven gloves sing “Endless Love” to each other and had a horse racing with horse heads on sticks. And, to top it all off, the show concluded with the entire audience throwing balloons to one person on the stage. All this was performed to the soundtrack of the French film, “Amelie.”
Audience participation at a gig is usually something people will automatically feel fear for but, by the end of it, members of the audience felt gutted that they hadn’t been picked.
There are many stand-up comedians that get people roaring with laughter, and will make the onlookers leave with a smile on their face. The Boy With Tape On His Face does this plus more, as the audience left the Drill Hall as speechless as The Boy himself after a breath-taking performance. This is the most surreal and wonderful stand-up gig that has ever graced the world of art.