Teddy Hall: ‘SLAYBOY’ Review by Alice Russo
★★★★★
In SLAYBOY, Swiss comedian Teddy Hall slays his demons, insecurities, and vices in real time.Â
There’s no show opener, because it doesn’t need one. Teddy is his own warm- up, darting offstage, changing into a singlet, and running back on, breathless, to raucous applause. Why? He doesn’t like his arms. One demon, slayed.
Teddy is a luminous, zig-zagging ball of energy who starts at 100 and stays there. We are soon introduced to more demons. A week ago, he told his audience he would quit smoking, and he’s kept that promise. Safe to say, he’s going a little bit crazy (can you tell?). He used to party, but now drinks alcohol-free beer. He once did cocaine off a penis, too, but he’s not about that life anymore. Teddy’s audience, in this way, holds him accountable for all the vices he no longer indulges in.
Yet this is not a typical sob-story about addiction and recovery. SLAYBOY is an authentic snapshot of an up-and-coming 20-something comedian with ADHD trying to be his authentic self whilst trying not to get distracted by TikTok. He doesn’t just talk about his fears. He confronts them in front of us: eye contact, fist fighting, dancing, all at a mile-a-minute. There’s plenty of audience involvement too— – after all, he can’t do it on his own. You don’t think of getting another drink from the bar, because your attention doesn’t lapse.
While the jokes are clever, creative, and punchy, the most striking thing about SLAYBOY is Teddy’s deep, raw vulnerability. He assures us that while he looks cool from the outside, on the inside he is just a small boy wanting to be loved. Teddy’s endearing energy draws you in from the start and leaves you thoroughly entertained for every minute. SLAYBOY can make us all take ourselves a bit less seriously.Â
This review of SLAYBOY, written and performed by Teddy Hall, was based on his Nov. 2, 2024 performance at Imprfcto Parallel during the Barcelona Fringe Festival.
