Sam Wills, who is better known by stage name Tape Face, embarks on his first tour of country making his Indian debut in India tomorrow. Born in New Zealand, the comedian has worked as a comic when he was a child and that’s when he believes he decided to take up comedy as a career.You might have come across his videos while scrolling through YouTube, most notably his performances in America’s Got Talent — he was one of the finalists of the 11th season of the reality show. Before his multi-city tour, we catch up with the comedian as he shares his thoughts on his debut performance in India, his inspirations while growing up and lots more.
How did your interest in comedy begin?
Not really sure. I was always a bit of a joker at school and my father has a wicked sense of humour that must have been passed down, so, I guess it was inevitable that I would end up performing as a comedian some day.
What is the kind of comedy you perform?
I call it standup without talking. I’m using all the normal standup comedy writing styles but applying it to a silent character. The show also involves everyday objects, as I like the idea of getting audiences to see things differently.
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What do you look forward to from your debut in India?
I’ve always wanted to take the show to all parts of the world and when India came up as an option, I leapt at it.
What excites you about India, the most?
Definitely the food! I can’t wait to eat good Indian food.
When you started your career as a comedian, who were you inspired by?
At the beginning of my career, I really liked comedians like Jimmy Carr and Joey Delaware, but then, once I started going down the silent comedy road, I discovered a whole new world of comedy sight gags.
Could you give us a teaser into your performance in India?
I’ll bring back John Lennon, I’ll fight Darth Vader and I’ll even have a shootout.
You were part of America’s Got Talent and also reached the finals of the show. How was that experience?
I had a great time at the show. It was wonderful to be able to present my act using a lot of their production values which would essentially make great advertising for the whole solo show.
What was your most memorable performance, till date?
One of them was performing at the Royal Variety performance when I got to meet Princess Anne and the other was when a guy thought I was going to set him on fire onstage in front of an audience.
If you had the opportunity to select a career apart from a comedian, what would it be and why?
I like food, so I would say that becoming a chef would have been interesting.
What do you think is the future of comedy in India?
Virtual reality is the future of comedy. Trust me, it’s going to be huge!
You have been hailed as the modern day Charlie Chaplin, that’s quite a big crown to carry. Tell me about the responsibility?
I tend not to believe hype like that. I am just doing what I like to do.
Is it tougher for you to get an audience without talking much?
I don’t think it’s become a problem at all. I have a solid presence on social media and have always been ready to evolve my advertising to shift where the audience shifts to.
What is the worst and the best that could possibly happen during the tour?
Worst thing is I get food poisoning or get attacked by bees. Best thing is we have sell out shows and are invited back to do even more shows for you guys.
There was a time when this art form was very popular across the world. What do you think the future holds for it?
Yes, silent comedy did have a call and it’s ironically making a quiet little come back, now.