Tom and The Boy

Well, this is the first time I've interviewed anyone from offstage and I was honoured it was a fellow comedian by the name of Sam Wills or, as Jo Public would know him, The Boy With Tape On His Face.

The name pretty much says what the character is but without the twists revealed only by seeing this award-winning show, but I am more interested in Sam. It was like talking to a fellow knight of the comedy round table, as we had a good laugh and Skyped of adventures our careers have taken us to.

If you don't know the tale of Sir Sam, it is one that has the taste of familiarity, yet is such a different path. For artists, authority is a great motivator for it is the first taste of rebelliousness that you either succumb to, and be told what well-paid cubicle job the sector has in mind for you, or you fight against, and open up the possibilities of what you want to become. At 11ish, Sam took that fight on as he decided the education he needed was not in the hands of the oppressive state school system but in the nurturing openness of home school.

He saw himself as the weird kid but if you ask me brave is a better adjective - takes guts not go with the crowd and kudos to his brave mother for letting Sam chose his path.

Sam knew the start of his journey had to involve every aspect of juggling and just enough Maths and English as to make sure he didn't wind up at the video store. I already loved Sam at this point because I knew it wasn't just the juggling we were talking about; it was about doing something he enjoyed! From home to Circus school, what a trip Sam. As artists go, nice one!

Now maybe people only know Sam at the Edinburgh Festival as The Boy With Tape On His Face - who by the way added to his extensive award collection when he was nominated for Best Newcomer last year. And, true to Sam's character, he appreciates the awards but knows they're just things that look good on a CV.

As we laughed out loud that after all those years of of hard work wondering if he did the right thing, training like a Rocky montage, Sam managed in 2007 to win the Best Poster Award!

Oh Mom must have finally known it was all worth it! The mother-bragging rights! Awards will entice people but those people will be the true judges, and not three in a room. Sam I think you could be right.

Sorry for going off the track there - my point was: that was not Sam's first appearance at the festival; it was the first indoor appearance.

For three years prior you would have seen a tattooed, over-pierced extreme street performer rocking your world not knowing he would soon morph into Tape Boy. For 3 years, he watched outside while squeezing his body through a tennis racket, waiting to pounce on the indoor comedy scene! Glad you did Sam. Because for me a true artist changes, whether it be material, character or just attitude. From extreme street performing to giving slapstick a much deserved facelift!

I have a feeling this is not the last morph we'll see from Sam. As we started to wind down our conversation, knowing we had to head back to our proverbial comedy kingdoms, we enjoy being able to take the pilgrimage to Edinburgh festival, but we know it is not the only one!

There is a big world out there, as Sir Sam reminded me, and we may be needed in other places at other times! So let's just raise our glasses and toast the other artistic knight and the educated Edinburgh Festival audiences of 2011!

My final words to Sam Wills aka the Boy with Tape on his Face: It Was a Pleasure signed Tommy Stade aka hope I didn't talk too much guy.