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SLUGS

 
JP Review by JP 5 Published: 10 Aug 2025 Summerhall Show Dates: 31 Jul 2025-25 Aug 2025

This show is about nothing. SE Grummet and Sam Kruger from The Creepy Boys make that incredibly clear. Scored by electronic, upbeat music with songs about chickpeas and Donald Duck – the Canadian duo continually one-up themselves every moment in this performance.

In a world full of something, they laugh in the nothing

So what is something and what is nothing? They try to explain to us as we quickly understand the abstract language of the show. In a world constantly filled with something – shootings, homelessness, racism, transphobia, etc. – their hope is to make a show about nothing. A show that is so simple, unoffensive, and delightful – and much to our chagrin, they fail to do that. It turns out to be hard to stick to nothing when our world is so wrought with something.

Bearing all – quite literally bearing all – the duo go pantsless, aka doing the Donald Duck, in the first twenty minutes of the show. While the first moment of shock value is hilarious, they never fail to build on every bit in the most wonderfully absurd and skilful way. The use of imagery is absolutely amazing: live puppetry and interactive, creative use of space only help us delve deeper into the Slugs’ world.

As performers, there is something so charming about the Slugs’ purposeful naivety. They constantly straddle obliviousness and inventiveness, and we are very much along for the ride. The show is similar to taking poppers but if it lasted sixty minutes. Without spoiling the show, there is a specific moment near the ending that is so batsh*t and unlike anything I’ve seen at the Fringe (complimentary).

And while the content of the show is hilarious and impressive, their friendship and performance chemistry is one of the most exciting things about the show. One imagines the origin of this show: two friends playing out of joy. In a world full of something, they laugh in the nothing. It proves to be the best thing we can do.

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The Blurb:

It’s about nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. For tonight, here, together, we are free – we promise. From the creators of 2023’s cult-hit CREEPY BOYS (***** (Fest), ***** (SomewhereForUs.org), ***** (InDaily.com.au), ***** (WhyNow.co.uk), ***** (ToDoList.org.uk), **** (BritishTheatreGuide.info), join us for a technocolour acid trip where you’ll meet puppet Joni Mitchell, a two-person horse and every body part we have. A techno-punk concert, a play, a clown show, a basement puppet nightmare all rolled into one, SLUGS is about trying to have a good time while the world burns.