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March 2010

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Montreal Just For Laughs 2011: One-Stop World Tour
Live Review

Seems like the Just For Laughs Festival is closing the door to immigrants this year. Where once there were separate showcases for the Brits, the Irish and the antipodeans, now there is only one ghetto for comedians originating from outside North America, the One-Stop World Tour.

But although they may have come far, they don’t share the US comic’s infuriating habit of asking the Montreal audience questions like ‘do you guys have Duane Reade here?’ every minute, as if too lazy too Google their references.

Indeed, compere Adam Hills knows what floats a Canadian’s boat… and that’s mention of an exchange rate. He plays up cross-border rivalry skilfully, with teasing reference to America’s economic woes, before flattering the audience by telling them they’re the most polite crowd he’s encountered… well, after the Dutch. He also highlights the aversion to boasting among this line-up of comics. Rather than be introduced with a list of TV shows they have been on, as is the American tradition, everyone tonight says they don’t care how they are brought on stage, they just want to do their jobs.

The different transatlantic sensibilities don’t always work in the comedian’s favour, though, with audiences weaned on slick, fast gags not always completely at ease with other styles. Case in point was the first act, the ever-kinetic Russell Kane, who struggled to square the circle of wanting to say meaningful things about how he rebelled against his tough, unemotive and racist dad by becoming all artsy, camp and liberal – while still cracking the punchlines demanded of a short set. Though the intent was noble, and some of the jokes sharp, the result seemed like a rush, even to English ears.

As a counter to that freneticism, was laid-back Rhys Darby, already possessing of star status thanks to Flight Of The Conchords. And he doesn’t move far from the earnest-but-useless persona he had in that show in his stand-up. There’s a nice line in underplayed silliness as he acts out an errant handshake, or describes how the Transformers movie should really have played out, but the best moments come from him being misunderstood by an automated voice recognition service on the phone. This is almost a hack topic, but by the simple act of repetition, Darby becomes a comically desperate figure in the story, giving it a punch a simple observational routine would lack.

Good though that was, it was down to Russell Howard to really energise the room, with a punchy, pacy routine that leapt with an irresistible sprightliness from semi-innocent childhood pranks to playful adult stories from the bedroom. Most Brits already know this fresh-faced comic is a blast of positive energy, with solid jokes and pin-sharp imagry underpinning the effusive spirit. The Canadians and Americans seemed suitably impressed, too.

Beardyman is an odd booking for a comedy festival. He’s a superlative beatboxer, but a terrible comedian, yet still gives it a go. Although he overcame an early microphone failure superbly, the stand-up, as we shall generously call it, which prefaced his real skills was as flat as the rawest open-mic act, begging the question of why, when Britain produces so many top-notch comics, it’s Beardyman who got the coveted invitation to Montreal. However, once he kicked into his impressive live looping session, producing impressive bursts of sound with versatile range in an instance, that question was definitively answered, even if this set-piece was frustratingly short. If he can integrate comedy with his unquestionable vocal skills –  without becoming a Reggie Watts clone – this would be the way ahead.

Next up, ventriloquist Nina Conti with her Scottish grandmother, in latex form. Her set was a real crowd-pleaser, as she brought up an audience volunteer for a spot of silly mindreading. Comedically, this isn’t all that clever, but Conti’s quick-witted and has endless reserves of self-deprecating charm; while a quick yet hilarious hypnosis skit at the end of her set shows off the more existential ideas she usually toys with.

More charm from Tom Gleeson, the only Australian on the bill, aside from Hills. His anecdotes are always well-told, although often too light in substance for my liking, especially over an hour show. Yet in this brisk set, he nailed it with a raucously entertaining yarn about a visit to a masseuse who turned out to be a masseur, in which he exploited a latent homophobia very skilfully.

But if it’s tales you want, Greg Davies is your man. Ignoring the witless yell of ‘clunge’ from one loud-mouthed Inbetweeners fan, he amusingly highlighted his own physical inadequacies before introducing the real star of his routine, his seventysomething father who’s embraced old age as an excuse to behave exactly as he pleases. That said, it will be the horrendous Christmas dinner exchange in which his sister introduced his mother to the concept of oral sex which will really stick in the mind, thanks to Davies’s superb storytelling abilities and masterful delivery.

Finally came David O’Doherty with his usual mix of rock-and-roll ambitions and modest means, banging out the duet he wrote for Shakira or his trademark Beefs 2011 on his child’s keyboard. He knows how ridiculous he is, as demonstrated by the story of the instrument’s demo mode accidentally being activated on a train’s sacred quiet carriage. But that awareness doesn’t quell his impotent rage at the largely mundane bugbears of his quirky lyrics, delivered with a skilful sense of timing.

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Her on QI? Maybe the most unfunny, annoying thing ever. Utter sh!t

Marcus, January 2012

Saw Nina recently at the Union Chapel with Stewart Lee headlining. She's vaguely amusing, but no more than that-got some gentle laughs but that was it I'm afraid, easily the weakest act of the night.

Ted, June 2011

I love Nina far too much. She has taken ventriloqism and revamped it for a new generation. The way she deconstructs her act is brilliant and in each new show I have seen her in she challenges herself to go further. The funniest woman in Britain today? She's up there.

Rich, August 2010

We just finished watching Nina's act on Just for Laughs and I think this absolutely brilliant! This is the most original and creative act I have ever seen and I don't think it would matter if she were a terrible ventriloquist (which I don't think she is) but the act would still be amazing because it actually makes you think. Thank you Nina for thinking outside the box... or puppet...

april, August 2007

I'm a comic from America. I just worked with Nina at Glastonbury and she blew me away. More important she blew the audience away. She spends ten minutes degrading the monkey (anyone who is silly enough to comment on the monkey not being a real Vent doll cares a little too much about ventriloquism and not enough about comedy, showmanship, or great writing) then switched status in an obvious but brilliant way. By the end of her set the monkey was defiling her on stage and the audience was screaming. I don't mean that metaphorically. I mean five thousand people screaming. No one else got a response like that. Don't get me wrong... there were some fantastic comics on that stage but no one had the visceral effect on the crowd that Nina did. There is just something intrinsicly funny about a sweet princess of a girl getting plushy-hypno-raped by a foul mouthed demon monkey doll. But I'm American... what do I know about comedy.

Unkle Paul, August 2007

How did she get such acclaim? She's a terrible vent act. Paul Zerdin rocks, miles better and original. The monkey isn't even a true vent doll, it looks like something you buy a kid at Butlins.

Lee Hathaway, March 2007

I just saw her on Just for Laughs and she is hands down one of the funniest people I've seen on the show let alone one of the funniest vents I've ever seen

Kyle Voltti, July 2006

Bottom line: Nina is witty, amusing, talented, attractive and very creative.

Frank Gerber, June 2006

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