Ventriloquism and improv join forces with hilarious results in Nina Conti’s new show. She explains to Katherine MacAlister how it all works

Nina Conti walked on stage at the opening of the British TV Comedy Festival, in front of an audience of thousands, millions more watching at home, and wiped the floor with her debut act.

Gorgeous, petite, charming, funny, she had us all eating out of the palm of her hand as she, her naughty monkey and various props, tricks and masks kept us spellbound. A breath of fresh air and adored by all.

Now on tour – Nina’s show In Your Face is coming to the Oxford Playhouse on Saturday night – she is not only one of the best comedy acts on the circuit, but the best known ventriloquist of her generation.

And she is loving every minute of it because her new show largely involves audience participation, and is therefore different every night.

Triumphantly returning from the Edinburgh Fringe when we speak, Nina says: “Last night was hysterical, we had a policeman up on stage and you never know what’s going to happen. Each one is so different and so varied.”

In Your Face involves members of the audeince going up on stage and wearing one of Nina’s masks while she projects their voice.

“There is so much fun to be had,” she promises,” because I’m voicing real people, so it’s their acting and my voice, so anything can happen, really anything. Sometimes they don’t speak at all, while shy people can really come out of themselves, because the mask gives them the confidence to be someone else.”

Nina, daughter of famous actor Tom Conti, says In Your Face is quite exposing but she uses the weirdness and madness of her inner self in her show. “I enjoy delving into my psyche (as seen in a recent BBC4 documentary). The most interesting things come from people sharing their weird private worlds.”

So why ventriloquism? “I really wanted to come up with something original that was mine, so when I found ventriloquism I ran with it, and I’m still running. But it’s probably a fluke that it worked out for me.”

A graduate of the RSC, she never got the acting bug in the same way that she has embraced ventriloquism. “Acting was a bit derivative. I don’t think I loved it enough,” she says.

Growing up on film sets around the world with her famous father must have set Nina up for a life in the entertainment business though? “It was so exciting. Travelling to Italy, LA, Paris, Melbourne, Mexico, Paris. That was my school holidays, watching all the rushes on set with huge buckets of popcorn,” she remembers.

“But it is also hard to juggle a life as a comedian and a mum, although we fumble through. I don’t have a nanny so have to rely on my lovely husband and parents, but I’m around more than you might think. It can get lonely on the road if I’m away for too long.”

Does she wish her shows had been like In Your Face before? “No, I think it’s taken this long for me to be able to do this, because I didn’t have the guts until now. It’s quite a scary concept.

“That’s what makes it so exciting and fun for me. It’s like being on a high wire every night. That’s why I’m so gentle with the people who come up on stage because that’s how I feel, so I take the heat – there is no pressure.”

SEE IT
Nina Conti is at the Oxford Playhouse on Saturday with her show, In Your Face. Call 01865 305305 or see oxfordplayhouse.com
Nina is also appearing at the Cheltenham Comedy Festival (September 20-26), playing Cheltenham Town Hall on September 22. Details from cheltenhamcomedy.com