Review: Brainiac Live (Garrick Theatre)
- All That Dazzles
- Jul 29
- 3 min read
Review by Oliver Briggs
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Between the years 2003 - 2008, TV audiences were glued to the sketch science show Brainiac: Science Abuse. In the wake of its run, the show’s legacy continued in front of a live audience with the debut of Brainiac Live. It is safe to say the show blew up spectacularly and has continued sparkling ever since, entertaining audiences up and down the UK in theatres, family holiday parks, shopping centres, and schools, not to mention international runs and even winning an Olivier Award for ‘best family show’ in 2025. After all of that success around the world, it is now back in the West End for a run at the Garrick Theatre, and it is clear to see why audiences are still packing in to each performance.
Entering the auditorium, you are immediately drawn into a crazy science lab where the scale of what you are about to see is teased. The stage was set with some exposed truss, barrels galore, black and yellow warning paint, with a lot of the show’s experiments already on stage at the sides. I found myself desperately wanting to see what on earth they could possibly be doing with these semi-obscured contraptions. Being truly captivated and excited by what I saw on stage was only the beginning, as there was more to it all than just what meets the eye.
Written and directed by Andy Joyce, Brainiac Live is always engaging, designed to pull the audience in further. The audience interaction is there from the opening moment, growing as the show progresses from cheers and screaming to “count with me”, standing up, competitions, and even some (safe) projectiles being blown into the audience. There were comedy runs throughout the performance, which could entertain all the little ones, but there were also memorable moments where adult jokes slipped over the young children's heads and into the ears of the older audience. Between sketches, as the crew was rearranging the stage for the next experiment, there were fun, science-based “brain burners” projected onto a screen that hooked the entire audience without even having to speak. Each minute of this hour-long performance was just as entertaining as the last.
The writing combined with the direction of Brainiac Live is what makes it perfect for a family audience. From small on-stage interactions between the brainiacs to how they talk to their whole audience, each choice for this production found a perfect balance between panto, talk show, and education, which made for a brilliant overall performance. With that in mind, I love how it felt as though not everything was a choreographed movement and that the brainiacs had the freedom to bounce off of each other's energy, simply going with the flow, making the performance feel fresh. It felt like three friends having fun on stage and we, the audience, were there with them.
Beginning with mind games, the audience is then taken through many marvels of science, such as playing with ice-cold liquid nitrogen as well as a hearing test. An entirely captivated audience then gets to watch and see the limits of a hot water bottle get pushed, followed by chemicals blowing up. Brainiac Live also takes time to demonstrate the proper use for a fire extinguisher and their possibilities when combined with rocket science. The Brainiacs find a lot of fun in firing cannons into the audience.
A charismatic team of three are responsible for taking control of the lab, beginning with Andy Joyce, bringing power and explosions as Brainiac Ned (a role shared with Jack Andrews). A consistently comedic watch, he was not afraid to throw himself at anything, quite literally, which makes sense when you realise he’s been with the show for over 15 years. Rik Warren brings wit, tomfoolery, and subtle adult humor to the stage as Brainiac Ed. Having been with the company for 18 years, he definitely knows how to finish the show with a bang. Finally, Brainiac Raz is played by Tracy Rahi, who provides the sass, the sarcasm, and surprise in her performance. This trio has an amazing on-stage chemistry, constantly creating small moments together that really ramp up the enjoyment of the overall production.
Brainiac Live is the family show to see this summer with an educational yet fresh and comedic style, brought to you by a strong team of brainiacs who guide the audience through every step of the experiments. It truly holds up to its Olivier-winning quality expectations, and is definitely worth catching while it is in the West End this summer.
Brainiac Live is currently experimenting at the Garrick Theatre until 30th August, followed by a UK tour beginning on 13th September.