At the 2010 Leicester Comedy Festival preview show

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Nina Conti: Dolly Mixtures
Live Review
Melbourne International Comedy Festival

It’s an excess baggage consignment that would have raised eyebrows at Australian customs: seven holdalls containing seven diverse foam puppets.

They represent Shakespeare’s seven ages of man, Nina Conti tells us, from her constant companion, Monkey, the ‘mewling and puking’ infant, to the ailing figure of her old philosophy professor in second childishness. There are some liberties taken with the Bard’s sequence – there are two ‘lover’ segments and the soldier becomes a dog – but it’s a useful enough framework for an episodic show.

Using Monk as the baby similarly seems a bit of a cheat, but this former Barry-winner’s fans would not forgive her if the foul-mouthed simian were not to make an appearance. He helps set the scene with some mild comedy-club-style ‘And what do you do?’ banter that’s perfunctory, but limbers the audience up for the participation ahead.

Childhood is represented by her eight-year-old daughter – a clear projection of her younger self – that allows her to continue to explore her favourite theme of the ventriloquist’s split psyche, and ends with a brutal song that’s one of the stand-out set pieces of the hour. Two of the others involve audience members becoming the puppets, using devices that are not entirely new to ventriloquism, but are executed with charm and wit – and the good sportsmanship of her volunteers.

As she moves away from dependence on good old Monk, other new puppets include her mild-mannered yet deliciously cutting Edinburgh gran; and the pitbull with an aggressive reputation but a voice that’s more Miranda than Rambo. The canine’s odd verbal tics of crying out for a lost brother – or a biscuit – hints at a dark back story.

Despite the new characters, there’s still a heavy dependence on her favourite joke of revealing the artifice, which is used a little too often when characters flunk their lines, say something inappropriate, or prompt an interaction with an audience member who then addresses the doll, not the woman working it.

But in other areas, Conti retains her inventiveness and her eye for a memorable finale (the sight of her being carried around in a cage by a giant monkey from a few shows back is unforgettable). This time around she takes Shakespeare’s description of the end of our lives ‘sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything’ rather literally, and messily, to draw a satisfying show to a satisfying close.

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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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