Theatre Editor JOANA CHETWYND reviews the stage debut of comedic duo Veronika Slowikowska and Kyle Chase at Leicester Square Theatre.
Rest in peace Jesus. Rest in peace… the Queen. Rest in peace Elvis. Rest in peace cast of Glee.
No, this is not an obituary; it is the lyrical prowess of none other than one Veronika Slowikowska, an internet personality taking the endless scroll of reels by storm. Emerging seemingly out of nowhere, alongside housemate, friend, and potential lover Kyle Chase, the duo have skyrocketed from an ever-so-niche corner of the internet to virality. For their followers, much of their appeal lies in their short-form ironic skits, their well-loved podcast, nevermind., and their lore: a series of videos chronicling Veronika’s unrequited feelings, packed with feigned sexual tension, ludicrous humble-brags and irresistible secondhand embarrassment.
In Veronika and Kyle Together Forever? The Tour!, the pair are adapting the comedy of reels and podcasts—often reliant on angles, edits made in post and sheer silliness—to the stage. Their videos are the kind you might send to a friend and receive an earnest “I don’t really get the joke”. And so, admittedly, I was nervous upon my arrival to the theatre that the show might simply not pay off. We’ve seen our fair share of online personas whose stage shows can only be described as a low-effort money grab from a dedicated audience (lest we forget Jake Paul’s world tour, the Hype House, among others). I could only hope this wasn’t the case.
The night’s opener was Haley Stiel. Sauntering onstage before a starry-eyed audience, she delivered a booming “what’s up Los Angeles, how we doing tonight?!”, promptly followed by an acapella rendition of Sam Smith’s “Unholy”. Stiel delivered a barrage of bit-based, counter-millennial comedy, ranging from high-brow puns to a dramatic reading of her brand-new screenplay: Girl in a City. Essentially a Y/N Wattpad saga with Joe Biden as protagonist, this was preposterous and by far the highlight of her set. As her tale reached its resolution, the room was buzzing and warmed-up to go.
Kyle and Veronika’s adaptation of their brand for the stage was deft. From ongoing gags about Veronika being the funny one (and Kyle’s inner monologue increasingly berating him for quips that did not land), to clever call-backs to trending videos, the night was amusing from start to end. They bounced off of each other: Veronika, naturally hilarious, and Kyle, the voice of reason opposite her absurd mannerisms. They performed their best pieces: He Just Touched My Booby Accidentally, a Charli-xcx-inspired ode to the late character actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, and a frankly hysterical Bo Burnham parody à la Dear Evan Hansen. As the pair adorned a variation of dollar-store wigs, a number of “guests” took to the stage: Bo Burnham (Veronika), the musical duo Bangers (Kyle) and Mash (Veronika), and a spokesperson for Crazy Rock’n Sushi (Veronika, pretending to be the evening’s sponsor, a breakfast-sushi brand). Just as it sounds, the night grew increasingly deranged. Where I set out sceptical that their comedy may not land off-screen, I quickly realised that this idiotic, lighthearted brand of humour is not withheld by self-consciousness. Rather, awkwardness is its fuel, and Veronika and Kyle thrived in the grandeur of this childlike, rough-around-the-edges stand-up set.
The evening hit a sweet spot between scripted and impromptu; a tale was weaved amid the madness. Kyle’s growing fears that he may be the unfunny one led to a storm-off as we reached the end of act one, Veronika left to perform alone. In act two, they are able to rekindle their (working) relationship. For an early attempt at a comedy tour, the show had narrative ups-and-downs, improvisation, impersonations, musical numbers, scripted one-liners and so much more. All of the above worked a treat, landing the pair a standing ovation at both their London shows. On another note—one I hesitate to add, as it is a stereotype I have heard echoed plenty—it is always nice to see a night of comedy delivered by talented, engaging, confident female comedians. Though we need no further proof that women can and should be accommodated in the world of stand-up, both Veronika and Haley were evidently seasoned at scripted and improvisational comedy. It was amusing, for once, to see the man onstage forced to bear the label of “less-funny minority”.
In a barren comedic landscape, caught between the two equally repugnant poles of sanitised feel-good shlock (see Ellen) or unoriginal, safe-edgy Matt-Rifeisms, Veronika and Kyle offer an alternative path: something genuinely funny. Their stage show, whilst janky at times, is a fantastically entertaining, original and hilarious live debut. At its best, it is a belly-aching synthesis of music, memes and magic that harkens back to the innovation of Bo Burnham’s What. It is certainly not for everyone, but this irreverent and distinctly Gen Z comedic cocktail, much like their online content, must be seen to be believed.
Featured image: Veronika and Kyle, courtesy of @connorytheballantyne.