Brainiac Live! | Garrick Theatre

The beloved British kids show Brainiac: Science Abuse or simply Brainiac makes an explosive return to the West End in their live show Brainiac Live! The Olivier award-winning show comes in like a flaming cannonball and fills the Garrick Theatre with experiments that quite literally nearly blow the roof off of the theatre.

Written and directed by Andy Joyce, a long time Brainiac, the show is an unforgettable hour for the audience, proving just how fun and exciting science can actually be. The show is aimed at younger audiences and matches them at their level, encouraging them to giggle, shout, cheer and clap along. Brainiac Live! clearly understands children, using its own unique formula to have the audience invested as they share some of the more complex explanations behind a fun experiment. Whilst the show may take place on the grand Garrick Theatre stage, it feels intimate and almost as though the entire audience were in a laboratory together, managing to involve everyone.

Every minute of the hour long run time has been utilised, creating a show that is in its finest form. With original creative contributions from Ben Keaton, Joyce has dialled up the drama for this iteration of Brainiac Live!, allowing the three Brainiacs (himself included) to have more creative liberty and embrace when things become a little more unpredictable. Stuffed with six larger experiments and demonstrations, and a number of brainburners, the show is a fast paced, high stakes and deeply entertaining show. 

Brainiac Ned, performed Joyce at this performance, leads the trio of Brainiacs with a goofy demeanor and an infectious energy. Joyce's decision to volunteer himself for all the experiments has him running through plasterboard, spinning in a rocket powered office chair, and participating in a number of explosions. Joyce's genuine enthusiasm for each of the experiments ripples over the audience, egging them to succumb to the magic of science.

Rik Warren, another long term Brainiac, plays Brainiac Ed who delivers a show stealing dazzling personality. Warren's cheeky antics as he dabbles with innuendos at every opportunity and his playful use of the chemical reactions with his own music video special effects, as he lip syncs to Beyonce's Single Ladies is hilarious; not to mention the cheating to win the final competition. Warren's mischievous behaviour really helps solidify that Brainiac Live! isn't just all about the amazing things that science is capable of, but that the show is fun at its maximum level.

Tracy Rahi completes the trio as Brainiac Raz, taking on a more earnest approach to the show as she passionately launches into the science behind the super cool demonstrations. Rahi adopts an almost elder sibling like persona to the younger audience members, reminding them to cover their ears and checking in on individual audience members, once again placing Brainiacs as a unique show that not only cares about putting on a good show, but also really cares for all involved.

The set (additional design by Damien Stanton) immediately intrigues the audience, with experiments on stage and hidden away, and filled with bright yellow and black canisters, drapes and logo. A large video screen, (video editing by Odinn Orn Hilmarsson) is used throughout the show to add more information to ongoing experiments and helps to clarify the smaller details on stage. As the Brainiacs set up different demonstrations, the screen is also used to showcase brainburners, which keeps the audience just as captivated as they burst into delighted giggles or audible gasps as they discover their own little tricks.

Brainiac Live! is a show like any other, that not only tests the boundaries of what science is capable of and how much humans are made to withstand and benefit from this; but also of how much magic science can safely create in a theatre. As various (safe) smoke rings are fired into the audience, freezing cold liquids are used to create a cloudy texture, chemicals are used to launch socks and tshirts into the audiences for a lucky few, and fire is shot into the air; Brainiac Live! truly does accomplish the extraordinary. 

Adults, bring your young ones and yourselves to the Garrick Theatre to witness this brilliant show that is bursting with enough excitement that your kid's head might even explode!

Brainiac Live! is playing at the Garrick Theatre until 30th August before embarking on a mini tour - tickets and more information can be found here.

★★★★★ (5*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Mark Douet