Conrad Koch and Chester Missing bring laughter to Montecasino
SA’s favourite puppet and his outspoken handler launch Puppet Power in Fourways, serving up unapologetic silliness with a satirical bite.
South Africa’s most irreverent puppet and his dangerously clever handler are back on stage, and they’re as unfiltered as ever.
Comedy duo Conrad Koch and Chester Missing kicked off their national Puppet Power tour at the Pieter Toerien Theatre at Montecasino on July 10, launching a four-night Johannesburg run that blends global satire, absurd comedy, and fresh puppet characters in a show that is both wildly funny and sneakily sharp.
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From the opening moments, Chester Missing wasted no time reminding the audience who the real star was. “Thank you for asking, finally. Conrad is a hack who rode my career to fame. This show is about me. I’m the funny one,” said Chester.
The award-winning political ventriloquist and his loud-mouthed puppet lean into the madness of modern times in Puppet Power, where serious issues are reduced to TikTok clips and memes — and where, as Koch puts it, ‘puppets rule supreme.’
“This show is 99% silliness with a dash of satirical truth. We’re all puppets in some way in our marriages, at work, and definitely in politics. Chester Missing is just frustrated at being kept in a suitcase. For him, Puppet Power is an idea whose time has finally come,” said Koch.
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The show features fan favourites including Hilton, the party-loving ostrich, DJ Hoodie, Mr Dixon, the high school teacher, and Gunter the German mosquito, alongside new characters such as Gordon Ratsy — a celebrity chef and literal rat — and even an actual talking dinosaur animated by a brave audience member.
Koch’s sharp social commentary shines throughout, with jabs at Elon Musk’s X obsession, global politics, FlySafair’s life jackets, and the peculiar South African habit of calling traffic lights ‘robots.’
But at its heart, Puppet Power is about laughter. “People are hungry for laughter. We’ve all been through so much. This show leans into joy and absurdity, with a touch of commentary for those who want it,” Koch added.
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Puppet Power runs at the Pieter Toerien Theatre at Montecasino until 13 July.
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