NINA Conti is a modern-day music hall wonder: her skill for ventriloquy may prompt thoughts of performance which is frankly old-school, but Conti finds ways to make her talent seem incredibly fresh and new.

She takes to the stage with the well-known Monkey, but In Your Face invites audience members to be transformed into puppets as well in a raucous night of semi-improvised comedy.

Conti is a sweet, softly spoken hostess, apologising as Monkey rattles off insults and swears openly. It’s easy to forget that the rowdier half of the double act is also Conti: her comic styles are well defined and she’s perfected the dynamic between the two to great effect.

Monkey constantly tries to get his much-coveted solo stage time, a futile struggle which links their segments together neatly. Not all of his attempts are successful. Of course there’s a threat of communication problems when Conti is forced into a sack for Monkey’s Q&A session with the audience, but it’s mainly the joyful contrast Conti and Monkey bring that renders the Q&A a little lacklustre.

Still, Conti without Monkey is a dazzling success, not least because she proves herself a more than worthy director of the action when presiding over the mouthpieces of her on-stage audience volunteers.

Conti has an incredible command of the stage and the story she weaves with these audience members; she creates and cultivates terrific conflict that leaves the (safer half of the) audience hooting with laughter. Her improvisational skills shine through here: she is completely at ease among the chaos, and seeing that sweet smile turn maniacal betrays that mischievous Monkey streak in her.