Nina Conti

Ventriloquism has come a long way since the days of Orville The Duck. For the past 5 years, Nina Conti has single-handedly lent a new credibility to the skill's use in adult comedy. The unbeatable combination of her striking looks and an undeniably adorable puppet monkey, Monk, have finally provided her with her first full-length comedy show in the expansive Pleasance Two. This time, equipped with a Madonna-style radio mic and five brand new puppets, she has room to experiment with the possibilities of such a immense talent.

While Monk remains her strongest performance throughout the show, Conti showcases some frankly bizarre vignettes, both using puppetry and throwing her voice into the crowd or around the stage. Her bubbly sweetness neatly contrasts with the often unbelievable filth that streams from the mouths of her cuddly friends, and she’s not afraid to take on three voices in a single conversation leading to some astounding linguistic gymnastics and beautifully timed comic moments.

The extremely disappointing flaw in Conti’s show, however, is the fact that around 20 per cent of her material is re-used from appearances on television and at the Fringe over the past few years. This inexcusable laziness risks ruining the show for fans of Conti, but the new material is strong enough to merit a look. To round off her show, Conti exposes possibly the most vulgar of all her toys – an extension of her own body that leaves the audience stunned into awkward giggles. Suffice to say, in a matter of seconds it shatters whatever admiring thoughts this pretty woman inspired in her male audience members.