Review by Jen
Nick Tipa’s Babyface is a one-man show of epic proportion. When the wrestling- obsessed Kahu moves to New Zealand’s rural Aotearoa, he must learn to adapt and integrate into a new community of colourful characters. We are thrust into the action with a one-man wrestling match, as Tipa throws himself about the stage in an impressive feat of dramatic athleticism, playing Kahu’s alter ego ‘Whiplash’ as well as his opponent. Soon, the play-pretend gives way and we meet the real Kahu: a 10-year-old boy who must leave his hometown and find his feet in unfamiliar territory.
Babyface is heartfelt and hilarious from start to finish. With minimal props and the assistance of clever sound and lighting design from Zac Nicholls, Tipa slips effortlessly between characters in a convincing portrayal of small-town life. He is a masterful storyteller: each character is uniquely individual, with subtle physical and vocal inflections marking shifts between speakers. Sara Georgie directs the production with compelling and dynamic fluidity, keeping the audience engaged and charmed throughout the piece. Tipa’s portrayal of classroom life is a particular highlight; as Kahu proudly stands in front of his new classmates and declares ‘my real name is Whiplash and I’m a professional wrestler’, we instantly warm to him. As more characters enter the scene, teachers’ pets and class clowns alike, Tipa creates a hilarious portrayal of classroom politics and a nostalgic pastiche of school life.
Indeed, a potent sense of nostalgia is the beating heart of this production. Babyface is an ode to youthful innocence, as we watch Kahu get into scrapes and embrace new adventures, always dramatising his life through play-pretend wrestling matches when real violence is not an option. The wrestling sequences that punctuate the show with bursts of energy take on deeper meaning as the plot progresses: wrestling becomes an outlet, a mode of expression for a young boy navigating great change and facing the disintegration of his parents’ marriage. Kahu’s obsession with wrestling is both far-fetched and extremely grounded. While he truly believes that his destiny is to become ‘the greatest wrestler in the world’, we also come to appreciate what wrestling means for Kahu’s everyday life and emotional experience.
Babyface is not a story of huge emotional consequences, and its plot is fairly gentle. Its characters are endearingly ordinary and absolutely human. The play’s strength lies in its nostalgic playfulness, as Tipa masterfully brings to life an entire town in this solo performance. Its characters are so tangible, beautifully crafted and performed, and irresistibly charming to their audience. As Kahu explores his new home, sneaking to friends’ houses, riding bikes around dirt tracks and aggravating the town’s adults with invasive questions, we join him on his youthful escapades with enthusiasm. Babyface reminds us how it feels to be young, the freedom it brings and the confusion it entails, as well as the big dreams we devise that may fade as we grow into adulthood.
Babyface should not be missed. Though it is set in a small part of New Zealand, Babyface’s portrayal of youth is universal, irresistibly and persuasively joyful in its reminiscence and vulnerability. It is quietly moving and unexpectedly comforting, wrapping its audience in a blanket of nostalgia, all while never failing to make us laugh.
Babyface played at Paradise in the Vault from August 24th-30th as part of its Edinburgh Fringe 2026 season. It debuted at Dunedin’s New Athenaeum Theatre as part of the 2025 Dunedin Fringe Festival, where it won multiple awards, including Outstanding Script Production of the Year and Most Promising Māori Artist.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
You can follow Nick's work on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nickp.tipa/
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