Stand Up For Slapstick

Created by Graeme Garden and Chris Daniels in 2012, Stand Up for Slapstick began as a response to being turned down for funding by local authorities. Since then, the event has grown into an institution in its own right as the finest stand-up comedians in the UK join forces each year to perform at this unique comedy event at Colston Hall.

All the proceeds go towards funding the Slapstick Festival each January, making it a crucial event in the Slapstick annual calendar!

We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who came to Feast of Fun last night! It was the comedy event of a life-time as incredible guests from the world of comedy and music came together to help raise funds for Slapstick Festival.

From political jokes and Kermit the frog to bin banging and wonderful sing songs, last night was truly one we’ll never forget.

A special shout out to some generous people, Boston Tea Party Cafés & Heart FM and to, of course, our wonderful guests too; John Cleese, Tim Vine, Barry Cryer, Rory Bremner & Neil Innes!

Comedy icon, writer, actor and python John Cleese leads this fine array of outstanding performers for an evening of live comedy and music

Bristol’s starriest night of comedy returned in 2015 for a fourth year to help raise funds for Slapstick Festival 2016

This sell-out comedy fundraiser attracted the finest comedy talent around for an evening of hilarity and stand up comedy from the very best in the business as six top stand ups hit the stage at Colston Hall , Bristol for one night only.

Pub Landlord Al Murray hosted once again with Harry Hill, Omid Djalili, Dr Phil Hammond, and Pippa Evans, each offering their comedic talents to ensure a night of comedy to be remembered.

Harry Hill said he was “delighted to to be appearing at ‘Stand Up 4 Slapstick’ in support of Bristol’s Slapstick Fest in June.

It’s as old as mankind, it’s the hardest of all comedy to get right, but when it works it crosses generations and reduces all ages to happy, helpless laughter – Slapstick is worth celebrating and saving”

Chris Daniels, Festival Director says:

“Festival Patron Graeme Garden has worked hard to recruit an incredible line-up for our fourth fundraiser.

I’m really touched that the comedy community have so warmly embraced the festival.

It was an absolute delight to welcome Al Murray back as our host for an unprecedented second year and to see festival supporters Harry and Omid taking part.

It’s a real lifesaver too, without this annual event the festival simply couldn’t…. and wouldn’t run!“

Celebrity enthusiasm for Bristol’s annual festival of vintage screen comedy netted another coup with the news that deadpan humour maestro Jack Dee, Al Murray of Pub Landlord fame, and the brilliant Dara O’Briain were heading the line-up at the 2014 STAND UP FOR SLAPSTICK fund-raiser, that took place at Colston Hall on Tuesday 3 June.

The benefit event was staged for a third year running to make sure that the internationally-acclaimed Slapstick festival – held in Bristol each January – can keep going and growing, despite rising costs and the reduced availability of public funding and corporate sponsorship.

Other comics who also signed to take part included Jeremy Hardy, whose anti-establishment wit is heard regularly on TV and radio panel shows such as I’M SORRY I HAVEN’T A CLUE, QI and THE NEWS QUIZ, and Tony Hawks, the stand-up who became a best-selling author with his books Round Ireland with a fridge and Playing the Moldovans at Tennis, as well as the brilliant Jo Caufield and Richard Herring.

Slapstick festival director Chris Daniels said: “Stand Up for Slapstick 3 has been a huge success! All the performers gave up their time to support Bristol’s Slapstick Festival and the feedback has been outstanding. It was the finest line up of first class Stand up comedians to be found anywhere in the UK”.

Hosted by Rob Brydon, the 2013 SUAFS was a complete sell out less than four weeks after being announced! Tickets were selling for more than £50 each on ebay and the event created a lot of attention. The line-up included Tim Vine, Lee Mack, Henning Wehn, Angela Barnes and Boothby Graffoe returning for second year, and the atmosphere was electric. The event raised enough funds for the 2014 festival to subsidise the cost of full orchestra accompanying CITY LIGHTS at the Gala event in January 2014. Tim Vine came back and joined us in January 2014 to host an event at the festival itself called “Why I Love Benny Hill” and then he made a surprise appearance in “Harry Hill’s Top Comedy Moments”.

The event sold out the downstairs section of Colston Hall – over 1000 tickets sold.The festival’s first Stand up fundraiser, hosted by Marcus Brigstocke with, acts from Rory Bremner, Barry Cryer & Ronnie Golden, Boothby Graffoe, Lucy Porter and Arthur Smith.