Conrad Koch and Chester Missing bring puppet talent show to Joburg

South Africa’s award-winning comedy ventriloquist Conrad Koch is bringing his outrageous puppet talent competition to Johannesburg this October, and this time the audience gets to decide who deserves to win.

Chester’s Got Talent will run at the Pieter Toerien Theatre at Montecasino from 1 to 4 October 2026, with tickets priced from R150 to R220.

But this isn’t your average talent competition. The contestants are puppets and the audience are the judges.

Following a standout year that saw Koch receive the Comic’s Choice Award for Innovation in Comedy and a Gold Ovation Award at the 2026 National Arts Festival for Chester’s Got Talent, the comedian and ventriloquist is taking the production on a national tour, with Johannesburg next in line.

Chester Missing and friends compete for the audience vote

At the heart of Chester’s Got Talent is a live, interactive puppet talent show where audiences react, judge and have their say as a bizarre cast of characters takes to the stage.

Every performance is shaped by the crowd, meaning no two shows are the same.

And with Chester Missing involved, keeping things under control was never really an option.

South Africa’s famously outspoken puppet is joined by an unpredictable line-up of performers.

There’s Gunter the German Mosquito, attempting to impress with his questionable xylophone skills, and Hilton the Ostrich, who hopes to make his mark as a singer.

DJ Hoodie is a puppet who actually DJs, while Mr Dixon is a high school teacher convinced he can outdo Conrad at ventriloquism.

Then there’s Paul die Krokodil.

Audiences should also prepare for a few surprises, including human puppets pulled from the crowd.

‘They’re not just watching a show, they’re part of it’

For Koch, the interactive format is central to the experience.

“Chester’s Got Talent is what happens when your puppets stop listening to you,” says Koch. “The audience gets to be the judges, so they’re not just watching a show, they’re part of it. You never quite know what the audience is going to say, or what Chester is going to do with it.”

Chester, naturally, has his own view: “I am obviously the star. Conrad is just the guy holding me.”

The result is a fast-paced, feel-good comedy experience combining Koch’s trademark ventriloquism, character comedy and satire with the energy of a live talent competition.

Conrad Koch heads to Johannesburg after award-winning year

With more than 130 million TikTok views and two International Emmy nominations, Koch has built a career around pushing the boundaries of comedy and digital content.

His creation, Chester Missing, has become a cultural figure in his own right.

Now Chester is heading to Joburg, and he wants to know whether its audiences have what it takes to judge him fairly.

Chester’s Got Talent Johannesburg details

Dates: 1–4 October 2026
Venue: Pieter Toerien Theatre, Montecasino
Tickets: R150–R220
Bookings: Webtickets

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