Review: BRAINIAC LIVE, Garrick Theatre

Following its Olivier Award win for Best Family Show, Brainiac Live returns to the West End with an hour of exhilarating scientific mayhem which proves that education can be every bit as entertaining as it is informative. Written and directed by Andy Joyce, with original production direction and writing by Ben Keaton, this fast paced production successfully combines spectacular demonstrations, infectious humour and audience participation into a thoroughly enjoyable family experience.

From the moment audiences enter the auditorium, the stage is transformed into the unmistakable world of Brainiac. The vibrant set is dominated by the show’s iconic yellow and black colour scheme, complete with TNT barrels and laboratory equipment, immediately creating an atmosphere of organised chaos. A humorous warning video introduces the Brainiacs as dangerous experimenters responsible for unnecessary explosions, intellectual mischief and scientific madness, while reminding audiences never to attempt these experiments at home.

The energetic trio of Head Brainiac Ned, chemistry enthusiast Ed and daredevil Raz burst onto the stage wearing their signature white lab coats over the famous yellow Brainiac t-shirts. Their lively introductions immediately establish an excellent rapport with the audience as they encourage enthusiastic cheers, practise boos and sensibly prepare everyone for the impressively loud explosions which follow throughout the performance.

The opening experiment sets the tone perfectly by investigating which everyday objects can safely be 'run through live'. Using a wooden and metal frame filled with a variety of materials including cling film, plasterboard and netting, Ned demonstrates scientific principles through entertaining physical comedy, immediately capturing the awe of children and adults alike.

Between the larger demonstrations, the show cleverly maintains its pace through Brain Burners displayed on the large screens. One particularly memorable segment featuring misheard song lyrics proves genuinely hilarious and provides welcome moments of comic relief while the stage is prepared for the next scientific spectacle. My 11-year-old daughter found this particular segment hysterical and cited it as her favourite point of the show, further googling such lyrics post show to pure delight.

Liquid nitrogen provides one of the afternoon’s most visually impressive sequences. Audiences learn that it is around ten times colder than a domestic freezer, before witnessing enormous clouds sweeping across the stage. Ed’s wonderfully absurd tiger crawl, inspired by Sabrina Carpenter, adds an unexpected burst of comedy to an already spectacular demonstration, perfectly balancing education with entertainment.

The production continually raises the stakes through a succession of increasingly daring experiments. Balloon inflation demonstrations evolve into more dangerous challenges involving a hot water bottle, while an engaging section on hearing, explains how vibrations travel through the air before being translated into sound by the ears. Scientific concepts are introduced clearly without ever becoming overly technical, making complex ideas easily accessible for younger audiences.

One of the most exciting demonstrations centres on calcium carbide, with water being enthusiastically added to launch miniature rockets of socks soaring across the auditorium. Further experiments involve fire dramatically being used to burst balloons which younger audiences found difficult, before introducing the audience to the Stroop Effect, enhancing the merits of chemistry for an engaging learning experience.

Another standout sequence explores rotational movement using an ordinary office chair, demonstrating how aiding spinning techniques can dramatically increase speedy rotations within 15 seconds. It is precisely these wacky and wild demonstrations, which make the science feel accessible and encourages genuine curiosity.

The finale delivers an appropriately explosive conclusion with the AIR ZOOKA challenge, followed by giant smoke rings being fired high into the auditorium. This created an exciting sense of competition, while showcasing the fascinating movement of air. It is a fittingly interactive ending which leaves children ans adults alike cheering.

While the production occasionally moves so quickly that some scientific explanations feel slightly rushed, its greatest achievement lies in making learning feel genuinely exciting. The Brainiacs display boundless enthusiasm throughout, encouraging curiosity rather than simply delivering facts, and ensuring that every explosion serves a genuine educational purpose.

Brainiac Live remains an outstanding example of educational theatre. Layered with explosive demonstrations, infectious humour and energetic performances, it succeeds in injecting excitement into science while delivering an entertaining hour for audiences of all ages. Families looking for an engaging introduction to chemistry and physics, will leave both entertained and inspired.

Read our interview with creative director Andy Joyce here.

Brainiac Live runs at Garrick Theatre until 30 August

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