Tape Face On Stage: Zany Escape And Hilarious Silliness

Unless you are a fan of the NBC summer staple America’s Got Talent or you have been to Las Vegas, you might be asking yourself just who the heck “Tape Face” is. Then, of course, you are wondering why is there a big piece of tape over his mouth.

Let me satisfy your curiosity. Tape Face (aka Sam Wills) is a silent Charlie Chaplin-like New Zealand prop comic, street performer and clown, and a former America’s Got Talent top 10 finalist who now performs on stage in Las Vegas. This past Saturday he was at the Palladium Times Square Theater in New York City as part of his current national tour.

Tape Face first competed on America’s Got Talent (AGT) in 2016, and returned for America’s Got Talent: The Champions in 2019. But unlike the often wide array of oddballs that come through the doors of AGT looking for their proverbial 15 minutes of fame, there was just something immediately appealing about the eccentric Tape Face with his whimsical routines and just plain kookiness. His bizarre appearance - disheveled hair, black eye makeup, and duct tape covered mouth - is as quirky as his acts.

So, when I had the chance to see him outside of his limited five or so minutes of shtick per act on AGT, I could not resist. Nor should you if the opportunity arises to see Tape Face in action. The Tape Face stage show is endless non-stop fun and laughter; a modern day Charlie Chaplin meets The Marx Brothers, of sorts, that will keep you completely engaged.

So what exactly happens in a Tape Face stage show, you wonder? Let’s start with the a warning over the loudspeaker. “This is an interactive show, so if you are called on stage don’t act like a dick!”

Following an opening from the equally oddball (and quite funny) Christina Balonek as Phyllis Vanillis, Tape Face’s assistant, a parade of audience members (my wife Jodi included) were handpicked by Tape Face at different times to join him. No one is safe sitting in the audience when he comes running off the stage with a flash light in his hand looking for his next victim.

What transpired on stage were mindless interactions like a gun fight between Tape Face and an audience member while wearing chemistry lab goggles and holding three balloons; a guy who is given coveralls, a Hawaiian shirt, a road worker vest and a construction hat to wear before doing a striptease; a woman who is directed to do some poses while she kneeled on a chair; a dance contest where two guys compete for a t-shirt; and a woman standing on a chair using a toy golf club to try to hit ping pong balls off of a blow dryer onto a dustpan taped to a broom handle.

Then there was my wife Jodi set up by Tape Face in a reenactment of that classic Demi Moore pottery scene in the 1990 film Ghost. Jodi Berman as Demi Moore I can rationalize. But Tape Face as Patrick Swayze? Hmmm...

In addition these audience games, Tape Face entertains like trying to do a Rubik’s cube and interacting with various props. And the show concludes via an endless array of red balloons that are released from up above.

If you’re worried about being picked, Tape Face’s show may not been your cup of tea, so to speak. But 10 minutes in and I bet the inner geek in you will want to get on that stage! Put your worries aside enjoy this endless fun.