Review: Conrad Koch and Chester Missing Bring Chaos and Comedy in Puppet Power
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I watched Puppet Power last night at Montecasino and honestly, my face is still sore from laughing. Conrad Koch truly knows what he’s doing — not just with his mouth (ventriloquism is wild when done this well), but with how he manages to keep an audience completely captivated for 90 minutes straight.
His most famous puppet, Chester Missing, kicked things off with his usual sharp wit and politically charged sass, reminding us why he’s a household name on both TV and TikTok. Chester resents being a puppet — but as Conrad points out, we’re all someone’s puppet in some way, aren’t we? That particular line stuck with me, and from there the show just got funnier and more unhinged (in the best way).
The ensemble of puppets is as chaotic and hilarious as you’d hope. Hilton the party ostrich is an actual riot. Gunter, the recently divorced German mosquito, has no business being as funny as he is. Mr Dixon the moody high school teacher, DJ Hoodie the actual DJ puppet — all brought the house down. But for me? The absolute star of the show was the newcomer: Gordon Ratsy. A wannabe celebrity chef and real-life rat, Gordon had me wheezing. His timing, his energy, his accent — I could watch an entire spin-off just of Ratsy fumbling through a cooking show.
And then there was the surprise appearance of Helen Zille — well, puppet Zille — which had the entire theatre in stitches.
What sets Puppet Power apart is how seamlessly it blends old-school ventriloquism with topical humour and proper theatrical storytelling. There’s audience interaction (some poor guy got turned into a dinosaur on stage), moments of satirical commentary, and a steady stream of punchlines that hit every single time. It’s smart, it’s cheeky, and it’s proper fun.
Whether you’re into politics, pop culture, or just want to laugh until you can’t breathe, go see Puppet Power. Trust me — you haven’t lived until you’ve seen a German mosquito, with a rat chef while a puppet DJ drops a beat.
Catch it at the Pieter Toerien Theatre, Montecasino, from 10–13 July. Performances: Thu & Fri @ 7:30pm, Sat @ 4pm & 7:30pm, Sun @ 3pm.
Tickets at webtickets.co.za.
