BBC Three Comedy Marathon

At the Edinburgh Fringe 2012

More Nina Conti videos

CV

Supporting Lembit...
Live Review

Jobbing comedians are used to the fact that, generally, comedy-club audiences aren’t there to watch them specifically, but just a generic night of stand-up. But it’s even less flattering to know that the entire crowd have come to see someone else entirely, and care not one jot about your existence. Especially when that someone else is an eccentric MP who’s decided to dabble in comedy.

Appearing on the same bill as Lembit Opik has plenty of drawbacks, transforming central London’s delightfully intimate Backstage Comedy Club into a mix of media circus and Commons club. Alongside the cameras and the reviewers, the comics also have to contend with the worst type of comedy audience member: the attention-seeker who thinks himself funnier than the performers. Step forward Stephen Pound, the ebullient Labour MP for Ealing North, walking the line between witty interjection and limelight-hogging.

Compere Robert Meakin, an occasional newspaper diarist and clearly a clubbable fellow, played up to the Establishment side of the night, donning a Lib Dem rosette and making light political quips about the celebrity headliner or David Cameron’s poshness – all adding to the atmosphere that this was all about quirky old Lembit having a crack than a more genuine comedy environment.

Relative newcomer Tom Goodliffe was first to enter this world. He’s a confident, affable chap, with innate stage presence – even if his slick routine scored few points for originality. Middle-class boys merging the patois of rap with their suburban experiences are a comedy staple these days – and this self-styled ‘hip-hop accountant’ couldn’t make it his own, despite a few nicely corny maths-based puns.

Sarcastic comebacks to strangers’ flippant comments about his 6ft 6in height equally produced more smiles than chuckles, as did his production of such unlikely tomes as ‘How To Pull Girls’ from his satchel, inviting inevitable comparisons with Robin Ince’s Book Club that pretty much exhausted the fun you could have with strange literature. But the man has some style, if not much distinction.

But he’s a veritable spring of inspiration compared to Tom Williams, who not only did the customary one-liner about the celebrity he’s been compared to, but based most of his short set on it. That’s when he wasn’t mentioning the famous person the compere looked like. Add some confused ‘health and safety’ material about the tealights in the room and lots of long-winded set-ups, and you have a set of no consequence and no laughs.

Josh Widdicombe, by contrast, absolutely nailed it. He grabbed the bullish Mr Pound by the horns, and imposed his authority by bantering with a quick wit that couldn’t be countered. The MP’s flippant comments only fuelled him further in a skilful display of spontaneity.

Moving on to material, revolving around Madame Tussaud’s and narrowboats, Widdicombe cemented his already warm relationship with the audience with his quirkily appealing material. His playful, original set proved a breath of fresh air, showing that you don’t need tonnes of experience to rise to the occasion if you’re blessed with an easy confidence and a charming, sharp wit.

I always want to like musical double act Moonfish Rhumba more than I actually do, given their imposing stage presence and distinctive look – one a vision in polyester in his porn-star moustache and dated fashion sense while his bald sidekick cuts a more sober figure. They create a frisson of anticipation when they take to the stage,.. but a meaninglessly surreal exchange about going to the candy store, conducted in silly voices, dissipates that.

They are musically adept, too, with rich, properly-written songs that would stand on their own merit; while they mocked the sultry cabaret chanteuses who seductively tease their audience in the front row by diving in headfirst. The only thing that disappoints is the comedy quotient of their songs, which is surprisingly pedestrian, given how stylish they are in executing it.

Finally, just before the main attraction, ventriloquist Nina Conti ran through one of her greatest hits, when her monkey puppet takes over her whole body – a skilfully performed set piece guaranteed to impress and entertain in equal measure. She they introduced her Scottish grandmother – or at least the sponge version thereof – for a silly turn that was enjoyable, if a little gimmicky.

The finale was something of a gimmick, too – though one guaranteed to raise the roof – as she employed a ‘human dummy’. She’s not the first ventriloquist to employ this technique – Paul Zerdin certain does a version of it – but is hugely funny and, like everything the charismatic Conti does, exquisitely pulled off.

It would prove a hard act to follow – especially if your expertise is in politics rather than comedy…

Click here for a review of Lembit Opik’s set

Skip to page: 1 | 2 | 3

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

Skip to page: 1 | 2 | 3