Hans Teeuwen

Hans Eduard Marie Teeuwen (born 3 March 1967) is a Dutch comedian, musician, actor and occasional filmmaker. His work has been described as absurdist, apolitical and confrontational. In the Netherlands, he became well known in 1991 when he won an award at the Dutch cabaret festival Cameretten for his show Heist, together with his friend Roland Smeenk. Just before the ending of the try-outs of this show, Smeenk died in a car accident in 1992, and Teeuwen decided to go solo as a 'cabaretier'.

He initially did five shows: Hard en Zielig (1994-1995), Met een Breierdeck (1995-1997), Trui (1999-2000), Dat Dan Weer Wel (2001-2002) and Industry of Love (2003-2004). After seven years he made a comeback in 2011 with his show Spiksplinter, followed by Echte Rancune in 2016. From 2006 onwards, Teeuwen performed as a crooner in an Amsterdam nightclub, resulting in a DVD titled Hans Teeuwen Zingt, and he released a CD of self-written songs titled How It Aches in March 2010.

In 2005, Teeuwen announced he would no longer perform, coinciding with the politically motivated assassination of director and close friend Theo van Gogh. In 2007 he decided to perform in English, appearing at the 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Amsterdam Underground Comedy Collective. Although his work is typically devoid of politics, in real life he has repeatedly acted as a fervent supporter of freedom of speech, especially after the murder of Van Gogh. Hans Teeuwen is married to photographer Eva Boeter, and in September 2013 their child Nika was born.