Articles and Stories
Holy Fools: Challenging Conformity Through Comedy
13 November 2025
As Festival Director, one of my greatest joys is discovering how timelessly comedy can speak directly to the anxieties and absurdities of our own age
Michael on Terry Jones at the Hexagon
1 October 2025
We are proud to bring two events close to our hearts to The Hexagon in Reading
Celebration of Terry Jones
12 September 2025
This November, Slapstick Festival will celebrate the life and legacy of Terry Jones, joined by his close friend Sir Michael Palin
Rick Wakeman Returns to Slapstick’s Silent Comedy Gala 2026
13 June 2025
The Silent Comedy Gala 2026, features Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid (1921)
Announcing Slapstick Festival’s Newest Patrons!
22 April 2025
It’s a real pleasure to welcome Rick Wakeman and Sanjeev Bhaskar as patrons of Slapstick Festival!
W.C. FIELDS – Global Stage to Silent and Talking Films and Radio
2 February 2025
We cannot separate W.C. Fields silent films from the totality of his career. Achieving great success on the stage in nearly every continent
Martin Freeman to host birthday gala
11 December 2024
We are thrilled to have Martin Freeman, star of The Office, Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy and many other critically acclaimed roles joining us for the evening.
Harry Enfield’s Comedy Favourites
11 December 2024
The multiple award-winning comedian and actor Harry Enfield is the latest star to join the line-up for next February’s 20th birthday edition of the UK’s biggest festival of screen comedy, Slapstick.
20th Anniversary
5 December 2024
I can hardly believe it’s been 21 years since we first set out to share the magic of silent and visual comedy with audiences in Bristol and beyond.
Slapstick 2025: for the love of silent comedy
8 November 2024
With Slapstick 2025 fast approaching Pamela Hutchinson previews the festival
20th Slapstick Festival
23 November 2023
Drum roll please as we unveil the exciting and star-studded programme for Slapstick 2024, including the long-awaited return of our cherished Gala to the venue where it all began, now renamed Bristol Beacon.
Gender Rebels: Post event notes
24 April 2023
Gender Rebels On Saturday 22nd April Slapstick presented a series of screen comedies at Watershed, Bristol examining how queer-coding and gender play was taking place onscreen as far back in the 1910s. With three films and three guests hosts feedback from attendees gave us rave reviews with over 85% saying they found the screening’s ‘excellent’.
Competition Time
22 December 2022
Slapstick Sgt. Pepper’s Competition There’s been so much interest in the Sgt Pepper-esque image created by Keith Kilpin of Aardman for the cover of the Slapstick 2023 brochure and other publicity print that we’ve decided to make it the subject of a Guess Who competition. To enter, study the original artwork, then turn to the
Slapstick 2023 Announcement
28 November 2022
Welcome to the 19th edition of Bristol’s very own Silent, Visual and Classic Comedy Festival. Music has been a key ingredient of every Slapstick since the festival began, but for our 19th annual edition, we’re giving it extra special attention.
The Big Comedy Bash 2022 Review
15 November 2022
Monday 7th November 2022 (7.30pm)
Slapstick Festival’s annual comedy fundraiser returned to Reading’s Hexagon theatre. Event features, Alan Davies, Ed Byrne, Stephen K. Amos, jay Lafferty and more
Review of Slapstick Festival 2022
7 September 2022
To those who came to see us in 2022, we hope you had a fantastic time! If you want to remind yourself of the great events we put on as part of our Slapstick 2022 season HERE’S HOW!
Legacy award for the Tiswas team
3 May 2022
The Tiswas Team receive their Legacy Awards, given in recognition of creating significant new work in the medium of silent and visual comedy
Tiswas Stars Reunite for One-Off Reunion
18 April 2022
Tiswas Stars Reunite for One-Off Reunion Our slapstick season finished on an absolute high, with the stars of the classic children’s TV series Tiswas reuniting for an evening of fun and mayhem. Chris Tarrant, Sally James, John Gorman and Bob Carolgees, along with Spit the Dog, were among those that took to the stage on
Slapstick Sunday
18 April 2022
Slapstick Sunday Our last full day of festival events began with Paddington (2014), introduced by Andy Day, and concluded with Lee Mack’s hilarious Desert Island Comedy Flicks. In between there was a moving tribute to the late great Barry Cryer hosted by his friend and long-time comic collaborator Les Dennis, with Barry’s Son Bob Cryer
Our Dear Friend Barry Cryer
28 January 2022
Hello everyone, As you will no doubt have heard, yesterday we learnt the news that we had lost singular comedy genius and very dear festival friend, Barry Cryer.
Screening Notes
25 January 2022
We have screening notes for a number of our programmes, you will find them on the programme pages for the individual films.
THE MYSTERY OF BILLY LANCET – AN ALTERNATIVE THEORY
22 January 2022
Since I reported the results of my researches into the brief career and subsequent total oblivion
THE MYSTERY OF BILLY LANCET (?1919-1965)
22 January 2022
Someone recently posted on You-tube a recording from an old 8” low-cost shellac gramophone disc released in 1930.
Stop Motion Animation – A Timeless Art Form
18 January 2022
For years animation has been one of the most impressive and entertaining disciplines in cinema.
Best of The Best – Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd
18 January 2022
Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin. All three began their careers more than a century ago
Charlie Chaplin – Early Life
21 June 2021
For those who have never delved into the history of silent comedy, Chaplin’s life started with great upheaval. He was born in 1889 to Hannah Chaplin and Charles Chaplin, Senior
Charlie Chaplin’s Life – The Beginnings
21 June 2021
Charlie first performed at the age of twelve, when he got a chance to act in a stage show. He left school permanently at thirteen and followed his ambition to become an actor.