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Hans Eduard Marie Teeuwen(born March 3, 1967 in Budel, The Netherlands) is a Dutch comedian, actor, writer, a singer and director. His work can be described as absurdist, apolitical and confrontational. In The Netherlands, Teeuwen became famous in 1991 when he won an award at the prestigious Dutch cabaret festival Cameretten for his show "Heist", together with Roland Smeenk. A year after this award, Roland Smeenk died in a car accident and Teeuwen decided to go solo as a 'cabaretier'. (Dutch cabaret is a sort of stand-up comedy often lasting for an hour or two, which has a storyline or theme, and can include songs, music and poetry as opposed to purely stand-up comedy). He did five shows, Hard en Zielig (1994-1995), Met een Breierdeck (1995-1997), Trui (1999-2000), Dat dan weer wel (2001) and finally Industry of Love (2003-2004). Other comedy projects he has worked on are Poelmo, slaaf van het Zuiden, a series of shorter comedy shows with his friends and colleagues Pieter Bouwman and Gummbah. Pieter Bouwman and Hans Teeuwen also worked together on a radio comedy show that was mainly improvised, called Mannen van de Radio. Apart from a few comic parts with popular Dutch absurdistic comedy group Jiskefet, he acted in the 1999 film Jezus is een Palestijn (Jesus is a Palestinian). Together with Theodor Holman he co-created the idea for the film Interview, directed by Theo van Gogh in 2003 (and remade in 2007 in the USA by Steve Buscemi). He wrote and directed the film Masterclass in 2005, Teeuwen's directing debut. All of his stand-up shows have been filmed and broadcast on Dutch TV and gardened significant DVD sales.

In 2006 and 2007 Teeuwen performed as a crooner in an Amsterdam nightclub, ultimately resulting in a DVD titled "Hans Teeuwen Zingt" (Literal English: "Hans Teeuwen Sings"), on which he sings songs by artists such as Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra, but also songs made by himself, together with Teeuwen's band. In 2008, Teeuwen performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival and has toured the show to theatres throughout the Netherlands. In 2009 Hans and his band (called The Painkillers in the meantime) recorded a new album “How It Aches' of original songs, which will be released March 2010.

In 2008 Teeuwen launched his webiste www.hansteeuwen.com, an online tv-channel with short films/sketsches made by and with Teeuwen and others.

In 2005 Teeuwen announced he would no longer perform as cabaretier, which (incidentally) coincided with the death of director and close friend Theo van Gogh in November 2004. In 2007 he decided to try a new challenge: performing in English. Teeuwen, first came to British attention headlining the Amsterdam Comedy Collective at the Edinburgh Comedy Rooms in August 2007 when he was described as 'the find of this year's festival” by the Guardian. Invited by Soho Theatre to perform a two-week season last January, Teeuwen sold the venue out before he opened. Hans then won a 2008 Chortle Award. He played six nights at the Arts Theatre in April 08, he sold-out his first solo gigs at the at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2008 and appeared on the bill of Amnesty International's Stand-up for Freedom gig. He appeared at BAC and Leicester Square Theatre in October 2008. And performed a further sell out week at Leicester Square Theatre in March 2009 and then sold out the Udderbelly at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe during August 2009. He has also performed at numerous UK and Irish festivals including Latitude, Leicester Comedy Festival, Glasgow Comedy Festival, Cat Laughs Comedy Festival in Kilkenny and Manchester Comedy Festival. A dvd of his first show will be available for the English market soon through amazon.com and in 2010 Hans will be playing his new one man 'Smooth and painful' show in the UK.

Although his work is typically devoid of politics, in real life Teeuwen has repeatedly and openly acted as a fervent supporter of free speech, especially after the murder of his friend Theo van Gogh. His eulogy for Theo van Gogh and his speech at the revealing of the statue for Theo were shining (and cynical) example of his views. A video clip of Teeuwen eloquently advocating freedom of speech while being interviewed by three female Muslim TV presenters has been chosen as 'Dutch TV moment of 2007'.

» muslim girls collide
» Theo's Memorial

Curriculum Vitae

THEATER
1988-1991 -Drama school, Eindhoven
1990 -Improvisations in 'Hoge Bomen Wind!', director Eva Balk
1990 -'Petja' in 'Platonov', by Amay theatre
1991 -'Konijn' in 'Winnie de Pooh' by Aramatis theatre
1991 -Pianoplay in 'Under Milkwood' by Dylan Thomas, director Hans van de Boom
1991 -Tour show 'Heist' Teeuwen & Smeenk
1994-1995 -One man show 'Hard & Zielig'
1994 -Performance at Amnesty International Gala
1995-1997 -One man show 'Met een Breierdeck'
1999-2000 -One man show 'Trui'
2000-2001 -Show 'Poelmo, slaaf van het zuiden (voor meisjes die van dieren houden') together with Pieter Bouwman and cartoonist Gummbah
2001 -One man show 'Dat dan weer wel'
2003-2004 -One man show 'Industry of love'

THEATER UK
2007 -Performance at Fringe Festival, Edinburgh
2008 -One man show in SohoTheatre, London
2008 -One man show in Arts Theatre, London
2008 -Performance Latitude Festival, Suffolk
2008 -Performance at Rose d'Or Festival, Montreux
2008 -One man show at Fringe Festival, Edinburgh
2008 -Performance at Stand-up for Freedom Gala Amnesty International, Edinburgh
2008 -One man show at Leicester Square Theatre, London
2009 -One man show in Battersea Arts Centre, London
2009 -One man show at Leicester Comedy Festival, London
2009 -Performance at Live at the Chapel, London
2009 -Performance at Bath Komedia Festival
2009 -Performance at Kilkenny Festival
2009 -New one man show op Fringe Festival, Edinburgh
2009 -Performance at Greenwich Comedy Festival, London
2009 -One man show at Reading Comedy Festival, Berkshire
2009 -One man show at Brighton Comedy Festival
2009 -One man show at Manchester Comedy Festival
2009 -Performance at Belfast Festival at Queens
2010 -New one man show: Smooth & Painful

FILM&TV, actor
1992 -'Pieter' in film 'Hartslag', director Ruud Schuitemaker
1996 -'Sinterklaas', in tv seriesJiskefet,'Debiteuren/Crediteuren' part Heerlijk Avondje
1999 -'Ramses' in film 'Jezus is een Palestijn', director Lodewijk Crijns
2001 -Voice of 'Tinus' in film 'Minoes', director Vincent Bal
2004 -'German Soldier', in tv series Jiskefet, part 'Kerst bij Theo'
2005 -Voice in film 'Allerzielen', director Mijke de Jong
2006 -'Hair' in film 'Last Looks', director Barry Alexander Brown
2009 -'Hans' in film 'Gewoon Hans', director Diederik Ebbinge

FILM, writer
2002 -Filmidea 'Interview', director Theo van Gogh
2004 -Filmidea 'Visions of Europe', director Theo van Gogh
2006 -Co-writer of 'De reorganisatie van de afdeling herhuisvesting Franeker', director Eddy Terstall

FILM, director
2005 -'Masterclass', with a.o. Peer Mascini, Pierre Bokma and Sacha Bulthuis

RADIO
1995-1997 -'De Mannen van de Radio': daily program Teeuwen and Bouwman, VPRO-radioshow 'De Avonden'

SINGER
2006-2010 -'Hans Teeuwen Zingt'; Singing performance, with Benjamin Herman (sax), Jesse van Ruller (guitar), Ruben Hein (piano), Kaper Kalf (bas), Joost Kroon (drums), with songs from the Great American Songbook and their own

COMPOSER:
2007-2010 -Songs 'Give it to me Straight', 'Ain't it great', 'Good at It', 'Hardware store', 'Letter to my Enemy', 'Weak spot', 'Dr. Hemmington song', 'Don't shine that light', 'Whatever you want me to be', The worst of me', 'Her Majesty 'Make you proud'

BOOKS:
2009 -'Langs de schaduw van jouw wanhoop.' Consistency of lyrics + CD, Publishing company: Prometheus

INTERNET
2008-2010 -www.hansteeuwen.tv online channel with short films of and with Hans Teeuwen a.o.

AWARDS
1991 -winner Cameretten- festival for tour show 'Heist'
2001 -Edison for cd 'Trui'
2002 -Golden album for 'Dat dan weer Wel'
2004 -Golden album for 'Trui'
2007 -Geenstijl award for most downloads (1,2 mio in 2 days) of his song 'het Vrije Woord' performed at opening of monument De Schreeuw for Theo van Gogh
2007 -Frontaal Naakt Award for Freedom of Speech
2007 -One of 100 most influencial Dutchmen by HP De Tijd magazine
2008 -'Best TV Moment of the Year 2007' for interview in VARA- tv programm Bimbo's en Boerka's
2008 -Chortle Award
2010 -Nomination for Chortle Award


Teeuwen, first came to British attention headlining the AMSTERDAM COMEDY COLLECTIVE at the Edinburgh Comedy Rooms in August 2007 when he was described as ‘the find of this year’s festival” by the Guardian. Invited by Soho Theatre to perform a two-week season last January, Teeuwen sold the venue out before he opened. Hans then won a 2008 Chortle Award. He played six nights at the Arts Theatre in April 08, he sold-out his first solo gigs at the at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2008 and appeared on the bill of Amnesty International’s Stand-up for Freedom gig. He appeared at BAC and Leicester Square Theatre in October 2008. And performed a further sell out week at Leicester Square Theatre in March 2009 and then sold out the Udderbelly at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe during August 2009. He has also performed at numerous UK and Irish festivals including Latitude, Leicester Comedy Festival, Glasgow Comedy Festival, Cat Laughs Comedy Festival in Kilkenny and Manchester Comedy Festival. For further information please contact Sally Homer on 07973 142127 or sally@hobpublicity.co.uk