Laughter In Lockdown #7 – Tim Vine’s Top Comedy Picks with Richard Herring

Laughter In Lockdown #7 – Tim Vine’s Top Comedy Picks with Richard Herring

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Laughter In Lockdown #7 – Tim Vine’s Top Comedy Picks with Richard Herring

Just over a year ago, in January 2019, stand up legend and master of the one-liner Tim Vine joined fellow comedian Richard Herring on stage at Bristol Old Vic to talk about some of his favourite comedy shows and films.

The show crackled along as these two masters of quick wit and tight timing teamed up for an illuminating trip down memory lane. It also got quite poignant at times as Tim reflected on his late Dad’s influence on his comedy – and he even selected a clip of his Dad joining him on stage to tell a joke as one of his favourite comedy moments.

Laughter In Lockdown #6 – Remembering the comedy genius of Victoria Wood

Laughter In Lockdown #6 – Remembering the comedy genius of Victoria Wood

Victoria Wood At Colston Hall Hosting Slapstick Festival Gala 3 1

Laughter In Lockdown #6 – Remembering the comedy genius of Victoria Wood

On 20 April 2016, the world lost the extraordinarily talented and exceptionally funny comedian, actress, singer, composer, screenwriter, producer and director Victoria Wood.

As a regular guest at the festival (which included her triumphantly hosting our 2013 gala), we knew we had to celebrate her life at the following year’s festival.

So, in collaboration with Bristol Festival of Ideas and The University of Bristol, we convened a panel which included stand-up comedians Pippa Evans and Lucy Porter, along with comedy and theatre historian Louise Wingrove, to discuss her extraordinary legacy and influence. Needless to say, the show sold out in double-quick time.

The event was hosted by Andrew Kelly and is the latest Laughter In Lockdown release.

Laughter in Lockdown 5 – The Goodies 50th Anniversary LIVE with Robin Ince

Laughter in Lockdown 5 – The Goodies 50th Anniversary LIVE with Robin Ince

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Laughter in Lockdown 5 – The Goodies 50th Anniversary LIVE with Robin Ince

Back in January, The Goodies gathered together on a Slapstick stage for what ultimately proved to be the last time as a trio, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their groundbreaking TV series.

Hosted by Robin Ince, the show featured a discussion on the extraordinary legacy of their award-winning TV series (1970-82) as well as a countdown of the public’s favourite episodes from the show – as decided upon by an online poll run by the festival in the lead up to the event. This winning episode (no spoilers please if you were at the show!) was screened in full at the end of the evening.

As most of you will now know, we recently learned of the sad passing of Tim Brooke-Taylor OBE. Tim was on great form on the evening of this event, exuding his usual enthusiasm, passion, charm, energy and wit. We hope you’ll agree it serves as a fitting tribute to an undisputed comedy legend.

Laughter in Lockdown 4 – Harry Hill’s Top Comedy Picks

Laughter in Lockdown 4 – Harry Hill’s Top Comedy Picks

Harry Hill Other

Laughter in Lockdown 4 – Harry Hill’s Top Comedy Picks

We’re up to week four of our laughter in lockdown series and this week we’re travelling back to 2014 for award-winning comedian Harry Hill’s Top Comedy Picks.

An annual sell-out event, the format of this show features a well-known comedian choosing clips from some of their favourite on-screen TV shows or films.

For this event, Harry was on stage with I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue star and Goodie, Graeme Garden.

A rare buy liquid antibiotics insight into the comic influences of the master of surrealist humour Harry Hill!

Laughter in Lockdown 3 – I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again… Again!

Laughter in Lockdown 3 – I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again… Again!

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Laughter in Lockdown 3 – I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again… Again!

Our third exclusive Laughter in Lockdown stream is the closing event of Slapstick 2020 – ‘I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again… Again!’ A show with added poignancy as it featured the final Slapstick performance from our dear friend Tim Brooke-Taylor.

The show’s producer and director, Barnaby Eaton-Jones, writes:

‘I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again’ was the very funny and deliciously anarchic radio comedy sketch show from the BBC that was the precursor to ‘The Goodies’, ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’ and ‘I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue’. It ran from the early 1960s to the early 1970s with the regular Wonder Team of Tim Brooke-Taylor, John Cleese, David Hatch, Jo Kendall and Bill Oddie (with music by Dave Lee and The Boys), including a special anniversary reunion in 1989.

Laughter in Lockdown 2 – John Cleese, Rory Bremner and Friends hosted by Tim Vine

Laughter in Lockdown 2 – John Cleese, Rory Bremner and Friends hosted by Tim Vine

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Laughter in Lockdown 2 – John Cleese, Rory Bremner and Friends hosted by Tim Vine

For our second Laughter in Lockdown stream (see details about Laughter in Lockdown 1 here), we’ve selected a comedy fundraiser from Autumn of 2016 which at the time we styled “A Slap Up Feast Of Fun: A Evening Of Music And Laughter”

Headlined by none other than comedy icon, writer, actor and Python John Cleese, the evening also featured a set by Rory Bremner, who had lots of material to play with bearing in mind Autumn 2016 was just months before Donald Trump was elected president of the US.  As such, this event not only provides lots of laughs but also a fascinating snapshot of an important period in history seen through the eyes of one of the world’s leading impressionists.

The wonderful Monty Python collaborator Neil Innes, who is mainly known for his work in the Rutles and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, opened the show with some quintessentially and intrinsically witty songs. The “music and comedy” theme was further enhanced with a set by the inimitable Ronnie Golden and Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend and ‘I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue’ star Barry Cryer, who also might just have slipped a parrot joke or two into the proceedings buy inderal tablets (spoiler: he totally did).

Compering the evening was that king of the one-liners Tim Vine, brilliantly providing the glue that held all the other sets together.

In their review of the evening Bristol 24/7 wrote:

“All the performers are such national treasures that there was a very British family feel and innocence to the show that modern comedy somehow doesn’t evoke.”

…and concluded…

“It really was a gem of a line-up.”

 We hope you enjoy this rare chance to watch a once in a life time line up.


N.B. These recordings were made for archive purposes and as such are not recorded in ‘broadcast quality’. Where the odd word is hard to hear or the artist can’t be seen as they’re side stage, please remember that these films were never meant to be seen in public and this is a rare chance to glimpse these films thanks to the generosity of the artists involved allowing us to view them. Enjoy!

We’re releasing one video a week for the duration of lockdown – or for as long as we have events available. They will be going live on YouTube first so please subscribe to our channel over there via the button below.

SLAPSTICK LIVE ONLINE

Main Image 2021 twitter cover

SLAPSTICK LIVE ONLINE

1-7 March 2021

Chaplin famously said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted”. Well, I’m not too sure about that, but I do know that laughter is a great way to help us forget about our troubles, and in these unprecedented times who wouldn’t want that?

Working closely with our board, Slapstick decided at the end of last year to move the 2021 edition of the festival online, due to both the global and local impact of Covid. It was a hard decision – for almost two decades Slapstick Festival has welcomed people from the South West and beyond to live interactive events, discussions and films from the world of comedy, and to break with that tradition is a hard wrench. But it was one we felt was inevitable and sensible under the circumstances.

So in 2021, we will be offering an exciting online platform featuring: seven days of classic and unseen silent comedies, live comedy events, artist talks and a community connection via our Zoom ‘Hangout’ live events. And later in the year, we will also be partnering with venues across Bristol and beyond to safely host in-person events.

Since late last year, we’ve been focusing all our energies on programming a thrilling online festival – one that hopefully people will be talking about all year. And being online isn’t all bad news – we’ve realised there are many positives too!

One of those positives is that we’ll be able to work with special guests from overseas for whom time and cost have meant coming to Bristol has always been impossible. Dr Harriet Fields and Suzanne Lloyd Hayes are granddaughters of silent screen legends W.C.Fields and Harold Lloyd, and we’re excited at the prospect of hearing their insights about their forebears. Other Stateside guests include silent comedy expert Steve Massa and musician and silent comedy champion Ben Model, who will be beaming into your living rooms from New York.

Our slate of contemporary comedians this year includes our Patron and supporter Rob Brydon, who’ll be probing Graeme Garden on his comedy influences; Patron Matt Lucas joins Noel Fielding who’ll be with Robin Ince to celebrate Laurel & Hardy, and Lucy Porter and Jessica Martin who’ll be exploring the renowned “It Girl” Clara Bow in a series of special events.

Finally, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media platforms to receive the latest updates from Team Slapstick!

CHRIS DANIELS
Director Slapstick Festival

Laughter In Lockdown – Slapstick To Release One-Off Gems From Its Archives

Laughter In Lockdown – Slapstick To Release One-Off Gems From Its Archives

Eric Sykes Graeme Garden and Morph

Laughter In Lockdown – Slapstick To Release One-Off Gems From Its Archives

In recognition of the unique circumstances we find ourselves in at the moment with the ongoing C-19 pandemic, Slapstick have taken the decision to try to make a small difference in the only way we know how – by bringing some laughter into your lives. To this end, from Thursday this week we’ll be sharing previously unreleased footage captured during a selection of the unique events we’ve staged over the past decade featuring, one show every week.

The LAUGHTER IN LOCKDOWN roll-out will start at 10am on Thursday 9 April with film from what is believed to be the last on-stage ‘in conversation’ by Eric Sykes CBE, a comedy writer and radio, film, TV and stage performer who worked with a Who’s Who of stars during his 50 years plus career.

In it, Eric Sykes is interviewed by Slapstick board member, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue panellist and one third of The Goodies, Graeme Garden who recalls:

“Eric Sykes was a comedy hero to me. He ploughed an idiosyncratic furrow between mainline comedy and the anarchy of his chums in the Goon Show. For much of his career he was profoundly deaf and relied on a hearing aid mounted in the frames of the heavy spectacles he wore. Later his vision failed as well, but that didn’t seem to blunt his enthusiasm or his energy. What I admired, apart from his distinctive delivery and physical https://cheapnolvadexpct.com/generic-nolvadex/ funniness, was his inventiveness and sense of mischief. And the mischief was still very much in evidence when I had the pleasure and honour of interviewing him in 2009.”

Other shows we have lined up for sharing include Harry Hill talking about his favourite comedy moments; highlights from when Sir Ken Dodd and French & Saunders received their Aardman/Slapstick Comedy Legend awards; a stand-up comedy set from John Cleese and the first stage reunion in decades of Little & Large, the double act best described as the Ant & Dec of their day and whose reminiscences now seem even more bittersweet following the death this month of Eddie Large (Hugh McGinnis).

Slapstick director Chris Daniels says:

“Like so many organisations, we’ve had to cancel a number of planned events because of Covid-19 risks, including some vital fund-raisers. But we have an archive full of funny and fascinating events staged at past festivals – all of them unique, never-to-be-repeated, one-offs shot as they happened. We’ve never released any of them before but now seems a good time to do it. Hopefully, it will give viewers some much-needed laughter in lockdown and remind them that Slapstick will be back with yet more special events just as soon as it is possible.”

Details of the first event will appear on our home page on Thursday. They will be going live on YouTube at the same time so please subscribe to our channel over there.

The Goodies 50th Anniversary Poll

The Goodies 50th Anniversary Poll

The Goodies 50th Anniversary Poll

Those of you who are old enough, cast your minds back to the evening of the 8th of November 1970. What were you doing that night? Were you perhaps huddled round a (probably) black and white television screen eagerly anticipating the first episode of what was to become a hugely popular and groundbreaking comedy series called The Goodies? We like to think probably so!

The Goodies was ultimately so successful it ran to nine magnificent series, clocking up an impressive 77 episodes of anarchic, hilarious, innovative, disruptive, occasionally quite puzzling and always brilliant comedy in the process.

And on the occasion of the year of the 50th anniversary of The Goodies we’ve decided it’s time for you, fans of Slapstick and The Goodies, to definitively help us decide which is the greatest episode of all time!

To make this happy chore a little easier for you we’ve gone through all 77 episodes (a thankless task but someone had to do it!) with the help of The Goodies themselves and a few of our celebrity friends and have narrowed all the episodes down to what we think are the best ten.

When the results of our poll are in, the episode earning the most votes will be screened at Slapstick’s 50th Anniversary of The Goodies event in Bristol on January 25th, in the company of the dashing trio themselves; Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, and Bill Oddie.

“Sounds like a great idea, how do we vote?” you ask?

Well, it couldn’t be easier. All you need do is click this link and head to our official poll form. You then just scroll down the list of episodes, click on the one you feel deserves to be chosen as “The Greatest Goodies Episode Of All Time”, carry on down to the foot of the page and click “submit”. It’s as easy as that!

Happy voting!

The Complete Goiodies 9883
The Complete Goiodies 9883

Slapstick Volunteer Call Out

Slapstick Festival is returning to Bristol in January with a fantastic line up of incredible stand-up, theatre and of course, silent comedy.

And with the festival fast approaching, we need your help! We’re on the lookout for a lovely team of dedicated volunteers who can assist in ensuring the festival runs smoothly! There are lots of diverse roles available, all of which provide valuable experience in the film, arts and events industries.

If you’d like to apply for a role please fill out the Volunteer Form linked to via the button below. The deadline for applying is noon on the 12th of December!

Alternatively, if you know someone who you think might be interested please do send them a link to this page or just forward them the google forms link below.

If you require more information or have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at jacqui@slapstick.org.uk.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

https://forms.gle/5pdwFiF2m7ZSvq3GA

Slapstick Sunday At Bristol Hippodrome – In Photos

Slapstick Sunday At Bristol Hippodrome

Here are a selection of photos from the 2019 Slapstick Festival gala day on Sunday 10th Feb which featured a matinee performance by Andy Day from CBeebies and our Silent Comedy Gala which featured Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times.

All the photos were taken by our regular photographers, Paul Lippiatt and David Betteridge. Check out more work by Paul and David at their websites, which can be found here (for Paul) and here (for David).

More photos from Slapstick 2019 can be found on our social media channels. We are on Facebook as SlapstickFestival, and on both Twitter and Instagram as @SlapstickFest.

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Andy Day | Bristol Hippodrome | © Paul Lippiat
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Andy Day | Bristol Hippodrome | © Paul Lippiat
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Andy Day | Bristol Hippodrome | © Paul Lippiat
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Andy Day & Charlie Chaplin | Bristol Hippodrome | © Paul Lippiat
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Marcus Brigstocke | Slapstick Gala | © David Betteridge
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Modern Times | Slapstick Gala | © David Betteridge
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Chris Daniels, Marcus Brigstocke, Pete Lord & Graeme Garden | Slapstick Gala | © David Betteridge
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John Archer | Slapstick Gala | © David Betteridge

Some additional images from Andy Day, all © Paul Lippiat:

Some additional images from the gala, all © David Betteridge:

For A Few Days Only – 2 for 1 on Slapstick Festival Tickets!

FOR A FEW DAYS ONLY – 2 FOR 1 ON SLAPSTICK FESTIVAL TICKETS!

Slapstick Gala Modern Times
Slapstick Gala Modern Times

Join us for a very special HD screening of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times accompanied by a 40-piece orchestra at Bristol Hippodrome on Sunday, February 10th. Hosted by Marcus Brigstocke, this year’s Silent Comedy Gala will also feature shorts from Laurel & Hardy and Buster Keaton. A truly unmissable event for film fans.

For a short time only, we’re offering an AMAZING deal – buy one ticket, get another FREE – making tickets available from just £12 per person for this incredible evening! Just click THIS LINK.

Step inside the iconic Bristol Hippodrome for a mesmerising evening of live music-to-film in an event showcasing your all-time favourite comedy stars. Highlights from the evening include a complete screening of Charlie Chaplin’s outstanding comedy masterpiece Modern Times (1936) on a vast HD screen, while Chaplin’s own acclaimed score is performed live by a 40-piece orchestra: Bristol Ensemble conducted by maestro Günter A. Buchwald.

It features several of the most celebrated sequences in comic cinema. The score, by Chaplin himself, is performed in a restored version and includes a romantic theme that would be made famous through the hit song “Smile”. Plus short comedies from Laurel & Hardy and Buster Keaton, both with live musical accompaniment, additional entertainment from the brilliant comedian magician John Archer and live pre-show entertainment in the foyer from Circomedia.

For a short time only, get TWO tickets for the price of ONE by clicking HERE and using the discount code ‘241 Tickets’

Slapstick Festival 2019

Slapstick Festival 2019

Slapstick 2019 – In Photos

Here is a selection of photos from the 15th edition of Slapstick Festival taken by our regular photographers, Paul Lippiatt and David Betteridge. Check out more work by Paul and David at their websites, which can be found here (for Paul) and here (for David).

More photos from Slapstick 2019 can be found on our social media channels. We are on Facebook as SlapstickFestival, and on both Twitter and Instagram as @SlapstickFest.

Judging by audience feedback we’d say that his year’s highlights included our first ever trip to Bristol Cathedral, the centrepiece of which was Harold Lloyd’s classic feature For Heaven’s Sake (1928), the screening of Buster Keaton‘s Battling Buster (1926) at Watershed and Little & Large‘s emotional reunion at Bristol Old Vic. Oh, and let’s not forget The Goodies who, year in year out, return to Slapstick to huge acclaim!

Don’t forget also that Slapstick Festival returns this year for one day only next month! We’ll be at The Hippodrome on 10th Feb for two shows, a matinee show specially created for the younger audience with popular children’s TV presenter Andy Day and our near legendary silent comedy gala in the evening, hosted by Marcus Brigstocke and featuring Charlie Chaplin‘s Modern Times (1936) accompanied live by a 40-piece orchestra!

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Cathedral Paul Lippiatt 3 1024×683 1
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Cathedral Paul Lippiatt 27
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Little and Larger Paul Lippiatt 2
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Little and Large DHB 9337
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The Complete Goiodies 9744
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The Complete Goiodies 9883
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The Inbetweeners 0167
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Tim Vine 0061
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Jimmy Cricket 0485

Some more photos, all © David Betteridge…

Some more photos © Paul Lippiatt…

Silent Comedy Spectacular with Barry Humphries at the London Palladium

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Paladum Poster Barryst 4 page 001

Silent Comedy Spectacular with Barry Humphries at the London Palladium

Step inside the iconic London Palladium to be enthralled and entertained by your all-time favourite big-screen comedy stars from yesteryear, accompanied by a live orchestra.

A trio of silent comedies from comedy giants Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy, will be presented by multi-award winning, critically acclaimed performer, writer and silent comedy aficionado, Barry Humphries.

Experience the thrill of Buster Keaton’s most famous – and most dangerous – stunt, the house fall, in the outstanding comedy masterpiece Steamboat Bill Junior (1927). Presented on a vast HD screen, the movie will be accompanied live by The Bristol Ensemble, who will perform the London premiere of a new score composed and conducted by maestro Carl Davis.

Plus you’ll have the chance to enjoy short comedies from Laurel & Hardy and Charlie Chaplin, all with outstanding live musical accompaniment.

Barry’s special guests include comedy legend and national treasure Barry Cryer with his partner in musical comedy crime Ronnie Golden, along with showbiz legend, the inimitable Bernie Clifton.

This promises to be a unique and hilarious night to remember.

“If you’ve a shred of a sense of humour – this‘ll be one of the high points of the year”
– Sir Michael Palin.

Silent Comedy Spectacular with Barry Humphries at The London Palladium. Sunday, April 29th at 14:30 and 19:30. Tickets from £38.29 available HERE.

Comedians at Slapstick Festival

Comedians at Slapstick Festival

Every year at Slapstick we have an incredible line-up of comedians eager to talk about their passion for early slapstick and silent comedy. This year, many of our ‘family’ of special guests are returning to talk about their early influences including Laurel & Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, Louise Brooks and Alice Howells.

Richard Herring

We’re delighted to have Richard Herring curating a weekend of events at Bristol Old Vic (Jan 18th – 20th), “I am so thrilled to be curating this weekend for Slapstick Festival. I’ll be chatting to some of my all-time comedy heroes like The Goodies and The Inbetweeners team. As a life-long comedy nerd, this is absolute heaven for me. Hopefully for you, too. But I’m the important one here.”

Richard Herring presents…The Complete Goodies, The Inbetweeners Phenomenon, Laurel & Hardy’s Comedy Classics.

Marcus Brigstocke

Marcus Brigstocke
Marcus Brigstocke

Marcus Brigstocke is a master of satirical comedy with an impressive list of TV credits including host of The Late Edition and I’ve Never Seen Star Wars and appearances on Live At The Apollo, Have I Got News For You, Sorry I’ve Got No HeadMock the Week and QI. 

Marcus will be hosting our Silent Comedy Gala at Bristol Hippodrome on Sunday, February 10th featuring a HD screening of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times accompanied by a 40-piece orchestra and shorts from Laurel & Hardy and Buster Keaton. A truly unmissable event for silent film fans.

Silent Comedy Gala – Modern Times with Live Orchestra. Sunday, February 10th at Bristol Hippodrome.

The Goodies

The Goodies
The Goodies

Catch The Goodies live at Bristol Old Vic on January 19th as Bill Oddie, Graeme Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor reunite to celebrate the DVD release of EVERY episode of the show. Prepare for delight and discovery as Goodies superfan Richard Herring rummages through his new box set for classic clips from one of the best loved TV comedies of all time.

The Complete Goodies. Saturday, January 19th at Bristol Old Vic.

Tim Vine

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tim

Just what makes Tim Vine’s comedy mind work? Where do those puns and one-liners come from? Who and what made him laugh when he was growing up? These questions and more will be answered when Tim – stand up legend, co-star of 35 episodes of NOT GOING OUT and host of the new ITV game show FOOTBALL GENIUS – reveals his favourite comedy moments and personal influences. With Richard Herring leading the chat, this will be a rare chance to witness what happens when two masters of quick wit and tight timing team up. Not to be missed!

Tim Vine’s Comedy Moments. Saturday, January 19th at Bristol Old Vic.

Sally Phillips

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Sally Phillips

Actress, presenter and comedian Sally Phillips (Smack the Pony, Miranda, Bridget Jones franchise) joins Slapstick to introduce this film co-starring the silent screen actress Louise Brooks in an early W.C. Fields silent comedy. Best known for her iconic leading role in Pandora’s Box (1928) Brooks developed her acting skills in comedies working for Paramount studios and this, her fourth feature, is one in which her comedic talents shine.  It’s the Old Army Game (1926) is an uproarious comedy in which the inimitable W.C. Fields finds it impossible to get some sleep, a non stop comedy of errors. With live musical accompaniment from the European Silent Screen Virtuosi.

Louise Brooks: Icon, Muse, Comedian with Sally Phillips. Saturday, January 19th at Bristol Old Vic.

Little & Large

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Little and Large for Lou

In conversation with presenter and writer Matthew Sweet, one of Britain’s best comedy double acts of all time, Little and Large. At their peak Syd Little and Eddie Large attracted up to 25 million viewers to The Little and Large Show (1976-1992). Tragedy hit in the form of serious health issues for Eddie and a fight for his life, leading to the premature end of their act. Hear their unique showbiz story in their first onstage appearance together for decades and following their triumphant 2018 TV reunion on Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

An Audience with Little & Large. Sunday, January 20th at Bristol Old Vic.

Rowland Rivron

Rowland Rivron
Rowland Rivron

Rowland has performed and written for many of the groundbreaking programmes on British television. As a musician and writer, he has featured on The Tube, The Young Ones, The Comic Strip, Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush and with French and Saunders as the charismatic Dwayne, one half of Raw Sex.

Rowland, Richard Herring and I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue’s Colin Sell will be celebrating Laurel & Hardy’s Comedy Classics at Bristol Old Vic on Sunday, January 20th.

Laurel & Hardy’s Comedy Classics. Sunday, January 20th at Bristol Old Vic.

Lucy Porter

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Lucy Porter

Lucy has been a huge hit with comedy audiences up and down the country for over ten years with her distinctive, bouncy, feel-good comedy.  At Slapstick Festival, Lucy champions Alice Howells – a rarely seen prolific performer who was a huge comedy star in the late teens and early 1920s. Howell was one of the few women permitted to be funny in her own right in the male-dominated world of silent screen comedy. Here, Lucy will introduce a selection of her funniest newly restored silent comedy shorts.

Leading Women: Rediscovering Alice Howell. Thursday, January 17th at Watershed.

Robin Ince

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Robin Ince

Best known for presenting Radio 4’s The Infinite Monkey Cage with Professor Brian Cox, Robin Ince is also the author of Robin Ince’s Bad Book Club and two volumes of horror stories by comedians, Dead Funny. Robin did an event about his book in Bristol in October but forgot to mention all his comedy heroes and the stories of Frankie Howerd, Rik Mayall, Laurel & Hardy and more, so now he’s coming to Slapstick festival to do part two. This is a celebration of comedy and its ability to connect people via foolishness and silly voices.

Robin Ince: I’m a Joke and So Are You. Thursday, January 17th at Watershed.

Tony Slattery

Tony Slattery
Tony Slattery

Slapstick welcomes comedian and actor Tony Slattery as he reveals all in conversation with comedy historian Robert Ross. After playing to packed houses at last year’s Edinburgh Festival with a return to his greatest triumph Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Tony Slattery is back with a no-holds-barred reflection on his life and work; from the Cambridge Footlights to the demons that have consistently dogged his success.

Slattery Will Get You Nowhere. Sunday, January 20th at Bristol Old Vic.

CHECK OUT THE FULL SLAPSTICK FESTIVAL PROGRAMME HERE.

A Celebration of Laurel & Hardy at Slapstick Festival

A Celebration of Laurel & Hardy at Slapstick Festival

If you fell in love with Laurel & Hardy all over again after seeing Steve Coogan and John C Reilly’s heartwarming biopic Stan & Ollie – then we have just the thing for you! Slapstick Festival kicks off in Bristol on January 16th and this year’s programme is an ode to comedy’s odd couple – a rare chance to relive the magic of Laurel & Hardy on the big screen.

WAY OUT WEST (1937) WITH BILL ODDIE AND ROBIN INCE

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Way Out West

Considered by many people, including Bill Oddie, to be Laurel & Hardy’s finest and funniest feature, we’ll be screening Way Out West (1937) on the Friday of Slapstick at Bristol Old Vic. Bill will also be talking to Robin Ince before the screening about why he loves the film so much.

Friday, January 18th 22:00. Bristol Old Vic. Tickets from £12.50.

LAUREL & HARDY’S COMEDY CLASSICS WITH RICHARD HERRING, ROWLAND RIVRON AND FRIENDS

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Wrong again

Comedian Richard Herring will be joined by Rowland Rivron and another special guest to introduce three classic shorts starring Stan & Ollie for the final event of our Bristol Old Vic takeover. Joining them will be none other than Colin Sell (from BBC Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue) on piano.

Sunday, January 20th 20:00. Bristol Old Vic.

STAN (2006) – A MOVING TRIBUTE TO THE WORLD’S GREATEST COMEDY PARTNERSHIP

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STAN

On Friday at Slapstick we’ll be screening the perfect accompaniment to Stan & Ollie – the BBC’s critically acclaimed biopic, STAN (2006).

Following the screening, critic and film historian, David Robinson, who met and interviewed Laurel & Hardy during their appearance at Bristol Hippodrome in the 1950s, will be joined by Robin Ince to field any burning questions you may have about one of cinema’s greatest on-screen double acts.

Friday, January 18th 14:00. Watershed.

LAUREL & HARDY AT THE HIPPODROME

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Hippodrome 1024×683 1

As one of the venues Laurel & Hardy played on their farewell tour, The Hippodrome actually featured in Stan & Ollie.

Hosted by Marcus Brigstocke, this year’s silent comedy gala will not only feature Charlie Chaplin’s outstanding comedy masterpiece Modern Times with a 40-piece orchestra, but also Laurel & Hardy’s hysterical two-reeler Bacon Grabbers (1929), which will be accompanied live by the world premiere of a new score composed and conducted by Bristol Ensemble’s Martin Pring.

Saturday, February 10th 19:30. Bristol Hippodrome.

24hr Flash Sale – Slapstick Festival 2 for 1 Tickets

Bristol’s Slapstick Festival kicks takes place from January 16th to January 19th with a packed programme of events celebrating silent comedy. This year’s line-up features Richard Herring, Marcus Brigstocke, The Goodies, Tim Vine, Sally Phillips, Joe Thomas, Colin Sell, Tony Slattery and many more! For 24hrs only, on Thursday January 17th – you can buy one ticket and get another absolutely FREE for the following shows using the code COMEDY241…

THE INBETWEENERS LIVE.

Join us for a special double bill at Bristol Old Vic on January 19th, featuring actor Joe Thomas AKA Simon Cooper and the show’s creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris. Fresh off the screen from Fwends Reunited – the show’s 10th anniversary special on Channel 4 – Joe, Damon and Iain will relive the show’s best moments and reflect on its enduring success.

This will be followed by a screening of The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) – which still holds the UK record for the biggest opening weekend of a comedy film – introduced by Joe, Damon and Iain.

Buy Tickets Below using the code COMEDY241

The Inbetweeners Live, Saturday, January 19th, 20:00. Bristol Old Vic.

LOUISE BROOKS: ICON, MUSE, COMEDIAN WITH SALLY PHILLIPS.

LouiseBrooksoldarmygame1926
LouiseBrooksoldarmygame1926

Actress, presenter and comedian Sally Phillips (Smack the Pony, Miranda, Bridget Jones) joins Slapstick to introduce this film co-starring the silent screen actress Louise Brooks in an early W.C. Fields silent comedy.

Best known for her iconic leading role in Pandora’s Box (1928) Brooks developed her acting skills in comedies working for Paramount studios and this, her fourth feature, is one in which her comedic talents shine. 

It’s the Old Army Game (1926) is an uproarious comedy in which the inimitable W.C. Fields finds it impossible to get some sleep, a non-stop comedy of errors.

With live musical accompaniment from the European Silent Screen Virtuosi.

Buy Tickets Below using the code COMEDY241

Louise Brooks, Saturday, January 19th, 11:15. Bristol Old Vic.

LAUREL & HARDY – WAY OUT WEST WITH BILL ODDIE & ROBIN INCE.

Way Out West LH 1
Way Out West LH 1

If you fell in love with Laurel & Hardy all over again after seeing Steve Coogan and John C Reilly’s heartwarming biopic Stan & Ollie, then we have just the thing for you – a rare chance to relive the magic of Laurel & Hardy on the big screen.

Considered by many people, including Bill Oddie, to be Laurel & Hardy’s finest and funniest feature, we’ll be screening Way Out West (1937) on the Friday of Slapstick at Bristol Old Vic.

Bill will also be talking to Robin Ince before the screening about why he loves the film so much.

Buy Tickets Below using the code COMEDY241

Friday, January 18th 22:00. Bristol Old Vic. Tickets from £12.50.

LAUREL & HARDY’S COMEDY CLASSICS WITH RICHARD HERRING, ROWLAND RIVRON AND FRIENDS.

Wrong again 2 1024x766 1
Wrong again

Comedian Richard Herring will be joined by Rowland Rivron and another special guest to introduce three classic shorts starring Stan & Ollie for the final event of our Bristol Old Vic takeover.

Joining them will also be none other than Colin Sell (from BBC Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue) on piano.

Buy Tickets Below using the code COMEDY241

Sunday, January 20th 20:00. Bristol Old Vic.

AN AUDIENCE WITH LITTLE & LARGE.

Little and Large for Lou
Little and Large

In this show, one of Britain’s best comedy double acts of all time, Little and Large, will be in conversation with presenter and writer Matthew Sweet.

At their peak, Syd Little and Eddie Large attracted up to 25 million viewers to The Little and Large Show (1976-1992). Tragedy hit in the form of serious health issues for Eddie and a fight for his life ensued, leading to the premature end of their act.

Hear their unique showbiz story in their first onstage appearance together for decades and following their triumphant 2018 TV reunion on Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

Buy Tickets Below using the code COMEDY241

Little & Large, Friday, January 18th 19:30. Bristol Old Vic.

CHECK OUT THE FULL SLAPSTICK FESTIVAL PROGRAMME HERE.

The Goodies – VIP Competition

The Goodies – VIP Competition

We have an amazing prize for one die-hard fan of The Goodies! Win VIP passes for The Complete Goodies at Bristol Old Vic on January 19th and meet Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Bill Oddie after the show.

Finally! The last, great unreleased DVD box set has seen the light of day. For the first time ever anywhere in the world every episode of THE GOODIES has been released for obsessive fans – young and old.

To celebrate, Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Bill Oddie reunite on stage at Bristol Old Vic for a unique afternoon in conversation. Graeme, Tim and Bill will talk about their sparkling career in comedy and the enduring popularity of ‘The Goodies’ decades on. Prepare for delight and discovery as ardent fan Richard Herring rummages through his new box set for classic clips from one of the best loved TV comedies.

For your chance to win, enter below:

The Inbetweeners – VIP Competition

WIN A PAIR OF VIP TICKETS INCLUDING BACKSTAGE ACCESS!

We’re giving away an amazing prize to one die-hard fan of The Inbetweeners! Join us for a special double bill at Bristol Old Vic on January 19th, featuring actor Joe Thomas AKA Simon Cooper and the show’s creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris. Fresh off the screen from Fwends Reunited – the show’s 10th anniversary special on Channel 4 – Joe, Damon and Iain will relive the show’s best moments and reflect on its enduring success.

This will be followed by a screening on The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) – which still holds the UK record for the biggest opening weekend of a comedy film – introduced by Joe, Damon and Iain.

To win a pair of VIP tickets for the whole evening, including backstage access, simply send us your email address below…

Buy tickets for The Inbetweeners Phenomenon and The Inbetweeners Movie.

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Young Slapstick Reviewers

Young Slapstick Reviewers

Six young people attended a fantastic Young Slapstick reviewing workshop with the brilliant Lynn Barlow and then wrote reviews of the Slapstick Gala. Huge thanks to Lynn Barlow for teaching the reviewing workshop, to Cathy Poole for facilitating it, and to all our amazing Young Slapstick reviewers!

Slapstick Silent Comedy Gala: Review

If you’re not familiar with Bristol’s annual comedy celebration at The Colston Hall, let me summarise for you; live music, classic films, live comedy, and a room full of people laughing from start to finish.

The festival this year is on its fourteenth run within venues across Bristol, you can feel that it is put on for the love of comedy and its history, with the support of famous comedians who make guest appearances amongst the audience and who present the shows.

The evening is unique as you get to enjoy some of the best onscreen classics of silent comedy the way it would have been enjoyed in its day. The films are accompanied with live music by the European Silent screen virtuosi and members of the Bristol Ensemble, the performances make the films a different experience, one that’s more special than watching the films on a laptop at home.

Audiences get to witness on a big screen some of the kings of slapstick comedy, including Laurel and Hardy accidentally getting into a bit of trouble and fighting like an old married couple, Buster Keaton performing stunts on trains and banana skins for our enjoyment and Charlie Chaplin stealing hot dogs and terrorising local police with a puppy called ‘Scraps’, who arguably stole the hearts of the audience.

Slapstick is a treat for anyone of any age looking for something different to a typical cinema outing.

Francesca Cilia

Charlie Chaplin’s ‘A Dog’s Life’: Fighting for Scraps!

I’m a complete newbie when comes to silent films, but I can honestly say that after seeing Chaplin’s A Dog’s Life at the Slapstick Comedy Festival Gala, my interest has been peaked. The film was packed with energy and action I didn’t expect to see at all, with Chaplin in the main role as the marvellous, easy-going tramp and Edna Purviance as the shy and flouncing bar singer.

The film starts off with Chaplin’s tramp simply sleeping within the comfort of a street side fence, from there Charlie saves and forms a friendship with the adorable stray, Scraps. The duo then meet the bouncing bar singer, Edna, and through a flurry of events, find a wallet full of cash. There was no stopping Charlie and Scraps from wreaking hilarious havoc.

I’m all for the funny gags throughout the film, especially the scene where Edna’s emotional singing makes everyone in the bar weep, and with the version I saw, there was a live orchestra playing in the background emphasising the scene’s ridiculous sadness.

The direction and performance in this short movie was spectacular, Edna was particularly comic in her performance as, despite her shy appearance, (biting her nails and the seriously awkward flirting) she was a dancing queen; her dancing scene with Charlie had her bouncing about the room in the most joyous way possible. I almost wanted to dance with her!

The film ended sweetly with Charlie and Edna, now married and living in the country off the stolen loot, looking endearingly at puppies in a basket cuddled around their mother, a true thoroughbred, Scraps.

I seriously recommend this movie to others; I have become a new fan of silent comedy. The movie was overall light hearted, yet full of action; through the perspective of Chaplin and Scraps, we see their hardships and likeness of soul. Enjoying every second and laughing at the gags, I am really impressed with the loveable humour of Charlie Chaplin, and will be searching up more of his works in the future. The Slapstick Comedy festival is held once a year and shows classics like this one over a week and I would very likely go again!

Chloe McCormack

Reflecting Through A Pair of Dog’s Eyes-A Dog’s Life Review-

Colston Hall falls silent. Sank in darkness, the screen casts the first beams of light on the audience of Slapstick Festival, gradually revealing the posh old-fashioned title card: A Dog’s Life. The live Ensemble fills the large room with the first thrilling notes of music, while the camera slowly tilts downwards to a sleeping beloved figure of the Silent Film Era, Charlie Chaplin. The whole room booms in laughs, announcing a welcoming and heart-warming evening at the Silent Comedy Gala.

Following the partly comedic, partly dramatic story of a tramp who tries to adapt and survive in the turmoiled society at the beginning of the twentieth century, A Dog’s Life not only shows the struggles of a life in the streets, but also the intellectual poverty of the bourgeois. Shot in black and white, the simplistic cinematography focuses on the protagonist in high contrast long and mid-shots. Also, the camera often opens in wides, following his rather theatrically fluid movements in the attentively crafted environment he is living in, creating the effect of an ample fresco.

Looking through the camera lens, we can easily empathize with our protagonist, understanding his apparently naïve and foolish day to day decisions. We notice how the tramp builds a deep connection with the dog he saves, the film gradually revealing that his new companion represents his own reflection in the world. The scene when he saves the dog from a battle and the cafe scenes, where various archetypes are presented in a human form as the clientele, are built as a symbolic parallel which depicts the alienation in a constantly ignorant and self-centered society.

However, the film has a happy ending, which shows a development of the protagonist and a change of his status. After finding a hidden wallet, the final scene presents him successfully running a farm and being married to the young singer he has met in the café, proving that everybody finds the accomplishment in their lives.

To conclude, A Dog’s Life represents an enriching

experience of the Silent Film Era, as well as a never-aging  funny story which teaches people of all ages the morals of humility, and a lesson for life, broadening their cinematic knowledge.

Ioana Bulai

Silent Comedy Gala: Review

The 2018 slapstick comedy festival is unequivocally brilliant. It has all the presence of a modern show; high tech audio mixers, projectors and the like, buy ativan with no prescription while possessing the ability to make me feel like I’d been taken back in time to the 1920’s, thanks to the breathtaking atmosphere. The festival is a breath of fresh air in today’s cinema climate, its ability to draw in a full house year after year showing that you don’t need flashy CGI or high-budget Hollywood audio to leave audiences with a smile on their faces.

This year’s event was hosted by comedian Tim Vine, a first-time Slapstick Festival presenter who maintained the high-energy atmosphere between screenings, thanks to some fantastically quick-witted comedy chops. Tim did a phenomenal job of ensuring that there were never any lulls between films, keeping the audience consistently entertained with a steady stream of one liners and witty puns.

Midway through the evening we were treated to a performance by The Kagools, a multi-award winning comedy duo from our very own United Kingdom. The act were an excellent homage to everything slapstick; their wordless comedy felt era appropriate for both the 1920’s and today, a perfect blend of old-fashioned fun and references to contemporary comedy (most notably Baywatch-esque slow motion running) and the classic gag of picking on the front row, even blasting crowds with water guns.

Additionally, the musical groups were a fantastic accompaniment to the films, with performers from the Bristol Ensemble and the European Silent Screen Virtuosi. Günter A. Buchwald’s conducting lead the orchestras to success, their seamless soundtrack lending itself so perfectly to the films that I almost forgot it wasn’t prerecorded background music!

I’d be hard pressed to provide a reasonable criticism of the event, as everything proceeded smoothly and without delay. There was never a dull moment, ensuring my enthusiasm was maintained throughout. As a first time Slapstick Festival goer, I am certain that I will be returning for future events.

Dan Bowers

Laurel and Hardy’s Angora Love film review

This film stars the hilarious double act ‘Laurel and Hardy,’ who became well-known during the 1920s and through the mid-1940s with their very well performed slapstick comedy. It follows their idiotic journey where they come they come across a goat that causes trouble, and eventually ends up going home with them. It is an extremely funny short film, full of unfortunate happenings that are much more humorous to the audience than to the characters.

The plot centers around a stupid and thin English man called Stan Laurel (played by Arthur Stanley Jefferson) and an American fat man called Oliver Hardy (played by Norvell Hardy). The two bicker back and forth (with plenty of physical comedy, of course) throughout the film.

A goat follows them after Laurel gives it a doughnut, and he then takes it home with them.  They make a lot of noise and disturb the unfriendly landlord from whom they hide the goat under the bed. They notice that the goat smells, and so attempt to give it a bath which causes a mess – and the landlord to check on them again. They comically pour water over one another in a childish manner, and anger each other even more.

It is directed by Lewis R. Foster who directed and wrote over one hundred films and television series between 1926 and 1960. It is full of fantastic shots, for example near the beginning they are running from the goat and it cuts between the goat chasing them and them running comically, which was accompanied by brilliant live music that added to the comedy.

In my opinion, this was an excellent film, full of hilarious slapstick comedy. The performance is extremely well done, with great facial expressions that made the entire audience laugh continuously.

Laurel and Hardy are classic characters that many will always love. It is definitely a memorable film for me with barely anything that could be criticized. However, if I were to criticize something, it would be that it was a little confusing at times, but that is to be expected in a film with no dialogue.

For the most part, the film and the storyline was conveyed spectacularly though the iconic physical comedy. I highly recommend you watch this film, as it really shows the talented actors skills in slapstick comedy and is sure to make you laugh throughout.

Sasha Cussens

Move over Cumberbatch, Buster Keaton’s the only Sherlock for me. 

What can be said about Sherlock Jr. that hasn’t been said already? Originally mildly received and a relatively financial ‘failure’ according to Keaton, the 5 reel film has since become a treasure of early cinema and is heralded as one of his greatest works.

It’s a story of love, dreams and aspirations. A projectionist dreams of being a detective, dreams of marrying a girl and, quite literally, dreams half the film away in a long, expanded dream sequence that leaves you completely forgetting about the previous plot, culminating in a massive laugh when we finally return to reality.

But we don’t watch Keaton for a thrilling story, we watch him for the gags! As ever, they seamlessly flow together, one after the other, incorporated and truly part of the story themselves. Nothing is a side gag. He gets into trouble with a laugh, and gets out of trouble with a laugh.

As child performer in vaudeville acts, Keaton gained much of his influence from such magical comedic tricks. Like when he disappears into the belly of a friend, or when he jumps through a window and uses a shawl to suddenly disguise himself. Other gags are achievable only through the power of cinéma. His use of double exposure to make it seem like he is in the film screen that is cutting between different locations, and reversing film to create the illusion of narrowly missing a train is brilliant.

But Keaton is most famous for his world renowned stunts, impressive still to this day. Out of the 4 films viewed last night at the Silent comedy Gala, this is the one that truly impressed me. Today we’d only see this done through special effects, clever cuts or in cartoons.

Falling from a level crossing gate into a car, actually breaking his neck from a torrent of water, controlling a motorbike whilst sitting on its handles and my favourite; getting perfect snooker shots whilst always avoiding the one explosive ball; all of his stunts are always widely framed so that the whole stunt can be seen in one shot. No cuts. The dauntlessness and dedication is ever incredible and of course, fantastically hilarious.

Just see this film. Do it. You won’t regret it. 40 minutes of your time. It’s wonderful with a live audience and band, but still just as funny at home. It’s the golden pinnacle of the comedic silent age, and one the whole family can enjoy.

Shayan Ghorbanian

Slapstick Festival 2018

Slapstick Festival 2018

Welcome to Slapstick 2018

To an increasingly crazy world, comedy brings solace and sanity and Bristol’s SLAPSTICK now stands as Europe’s biggest and best festival of comedy, bringing together classic screen clowning with today’s fnest living laughter-makers from British stage and television. This year is the 14th and our biggest edition yet.

This edition of Slapstick festival is dedicated to our dear friend Tony White (1937-2017). His devotion, enthusiasm and contribution to Slapstick was always a highlight each year for us and he will be sorely missed by us all.

Comedy is timeless and this year’s SLAPSTICK celebrates the centenary of Buster Keaton’s debut in pictures: a hundred years later he stands with Chaplin – an icon, more funny and relevant than ever. More than half a century ago British television saw an explosion of comedy genius – from Monty Python to Dad’s Army, from Peter Sellers to Eric & Ernie – that still leaves its indelible mark on the best new laughter-makers today. At SLAPSTICK, today’s comedy creators merrily and passionately confront their comic ancestry for new audiences.

Several events – notably our opening night screening of SPITE MARRIAGE – recall the making and mastery of Buster Keaton. Oscar-winning historian, restorer and flm-maker Kevin Brownlow presents some Keaton surprises, while historian David Robinson reveals the vaudeville world that produced the young Keaton. Bristol will also have an early opportunity to see James Dangerfeld’s “one-man musical”, When You Fall Down, in tribute to Keaton’s life and work. A premiere programme of flms rediscovered after disappearing for more than a century – most from the collection of Anthony Saffrey, who will be present for the event – shows the evolution of the comic star: from Andre Deed and Max Linder to lesser-known geniuses like Marcel Perez and Karl Valentin. In addition Chris Serle introduces us to the unjustly long-forgotten Austrian clowns, Cocl and Seff.

Stand-up comedian, actress and writer Lucy Porter celebrates the great female comics of the screen, Betty Balfour and Constance Talmadge (Buster Keaton’s sister-in-law!) and the unparalleled Jo Brand chooses her top funny moments whilst comedian Lee Mack celebrates Laurel & Hardy in a special event on Saturday at Colston Hall.

A special feature of this year’s SLAPSTICK is the role that music has played in comedy. A celebratory late-night screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with special guest Jason Donovan. The musical theme continues with a series of programmes fronted by the patron saint of SLAPSTICK, Barry Cryer, whose unparalleled contribution to British comedy writing includes The Two Ronnies. Barry’s frequent partner in comedy crime, Ronnie Golden appears in a solo show and veteran Goodie and wildlife champion Bill Oddie will reveal the secrets of song writing for The Goodies. There is a rare reunion of the mock heavy-metal band “Bad News,” from The Comic Strip Presents, with Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer in an onstage discussion. “Raw Sex”, the comedy musical double act with Rowland Rivron and Simon Grint, also features as Rowland discusses their rise from French & Saunders house band to cult comedy legends today.

THE MUSIC

Slapstick is proud, as ever, to present world class live music accompaniments for its projected silent film screenings from solo piano improvisations to full orchestral scores and this year is no exception. At our gala, Charles Chaplin’s A Dog’s Life (1918) is being accompanied by the 16-piece Bristol Ensemble performing with Chaplin’s own score conducted by Slapstick’s Musical Director, maestro Günter A. Buchwald. The unstoppable four-piece ensemble European Silent Screen Virtuosi (ESSV) return with special guest musicians including Oscar©-winner Richard Williams on cornet and Roger Huckle (Bristol Ensemble) to accompany Keaton’s Sherlock Jr They will also provide accompaniment for Battle of the Century (1927) on Saturday night and Spite Marriage (1929) on Thursday evening.

In addition multi-instrumentalist Stephen Horne will be accompanying classic Keaton shorts at Bristol Old Vic on Saturday afternoon and we are delighted to welcome back the world’s foremost silent film harpist Elizabeth-Jane Baldry who’ll be accompanying short comedies for us on solo harp on Saturday. Pianist and composer Daan van den Hurk  returns to Slapstick Festival on piano and other solo performers include John Sweeney and Günter A. Buchwald.[

A brand new event for which we anticipate a big future is “Young Slapstick Saturday ” at Colston Hall which combines screenings of classic comedy short flms with a comedy workshop for 8-11 year olds and Punch-and-Judy shows in between. Slapstick offers fun and laughter for all the family and all the South West. There could be no better way to start the year 2018!

There could be no better way to start the year 2018!

Chris Daniels,
Director,
Slapstick Festival

Slapstick ’18 – In Photos

Here are a selection of photos from the 14th edition of Slapstick Festival which we reproduce here with thanks to our brilliant team of photographers, Paul Lippiatt, David Betteridge and Dave Nelson. Check out more of their work on their websites, which can be found here (for Paul), here (for David) and here (for Dave).

More photos are already on our social media channels and we’ll no doubt be adding even more over the coming days so please keep a lookout for them. We are on Facebook as SlapstickFestival, and on both Twitter and Instagram as @SlapstickFest.

A Dogs Life © David Betteridge
A Dogs Life © David Betteridge
Tim Vine © David Betteridge
Tim Vine © David Betteridge
slapstickgala 2018 6456 preview
slapstickgala 2018 6456 preview
Lee Mack Barry Cryer Custard Pie 1 © David Betteridge
Lee Mack Barry Cryer Custard Pie 1 © David Betteridge
Lee Mack Barry Cryer Custard Pie 2 © David Betteridge
Lee Mack Barry Cryer Custard Pie 2 © David Betteridge
Lee Mack Barry Cryer Custard Pie 3 © David Betteridge
Lee Mack Barry Cryer Custard Pie 3 © David Betteridge
Lee Mack © David Betteridge
Lee Mack © David Betteridge
Jason Donovan Rocky Horror © David Betteridge
Jason Donovan Rocky Horror © David Betteridge
Jason Donovan Robert Ross Rocky Horror © David Betteridge
Jason Donovan Robert Ross Rocky Horror © David Betteridge
Rocky Horror Best Costume Competition Entrants 2 © David Betteridge 1024x683 1
Rocky Horror Best Costume Competition Entrants 2 © David Betteridge 1024×683 1
Rocky Horror Best Costume Competition Entrants © David Betteridge
Rocky Horror Best Costume Competition Entrants © David Betteridge
Ade Edminson Nigel Planer © Paul Lippiatt 1024x682 1
Ade Edminson Nigel Planer © Paul Lippiatt 1024×682 1
Jo Brand © Paul Lippiatt 681x1024 1
Jo Brand © Paul Lippiatt 681×1024 1
Jo Brand 2 © Paul Lippiatt 1024x682 1
Jo Brand 2 © Paul Lippiatt 1024×682 1
Sunday Roland © Rivron Paul Lippiatt 1024x682 1
Sunday Roland © Rivron Paul Lippiatt 1024×682 1
Kevin Brownlow David Robinson © David Nelson 1024x830 1
Kevin Brownlow David Robinson © David Nelson 1024×830 1
David Robinson Chris Daniels © David Nelson 1024x704 1
David Robinson Chris Daniels © David Nelson 1024×704 1

Pordenone Diaries – Day 3

Pordenone Diaries – Day 3

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So, finally, I am writing about our last day at the festival! Sorry about the delay… but here it is! Monday the 2nd of October was our final day in Pordenone and I planned to make the most of it! I’ve decided that three days at the festival is not enough. Next year, I am planning to stay for the whole week.

leontine and rosalie
leontine and rosalie

Monday started with the second half of the “Nasty Women” shorts. I found this screening much more interesting as it primarily focused on two wonderful comedic creations, Leontine and Rosalie. Leontine is quite the mischief maker whose shorts often revolved around her using string to pull pranks on unsuspecting townsfolk. These shorts usually ended up with Leontine being chased by her very angry victims. Her partner in crime in a couple of these shorts was Rosalie, who also got to star in her own films. This was one of my favourite screenings, partly because it successfully portrayed the “Nasty Women” theme, but also because it introduced me to two very funny women that I might not have ever seen otherwise!

The next screening of the day included another Norwegian documentary short about Maasai men and women. This was followed by Fante-Anne (Gypsy Anne), a Norwegian film from 1920. The film tells the story of a woman who falls in love with someone from a higher class than her. Their love is forbidden by the man’s strict mother. In an act of revenge, Anne sets fire to their farm. A farmhand who has always been in love with Anne, takes the blame for the fire and is sent to prison. Once the farmhand is released the two travel to America to start a new life together. It had a bittersweet feeling as the two were going to America to be in a place free from judgement and prejudice. I promise I won’t get any more political than that!

The evening screening consisted of a recently rediscovered fragment of a Louise Brooks short entitled Now We’re in the Air. This short told the story of two wartime pilots who uncover an enemy spy hiding out as a hot air balloonist in a circus camp. Although it was a fragment, it contained enough of the narrative to engaging, funny and exciting! The next film in the screening was called The Reckless Age. This charming film was about a man who takes out an insurance policy to make sure that his marriage to a wealthy heiress takes place as planned. The insurance company sends an agent to ensure that this marriage happens. The agent unknowingly meets the bride and the two fall in love at first sight. There are mistaken identities, a con game, and ultimately a happy ending for all the principles. This was a very funny film, and well worth seeking out!

schatten 300x225 1
schatten 300×225 1

The late-night screening was a true highlight of the festival for me! Schatten is a German expressionist silent film. It was hauntingly accompanied by Daan van den Hurk and Franks Bockius. One of the interesting things about Schatten was that it contained no intertitles. Everything that happened on the screen unfolded with no explanation. The plot of the film consisted of a husband and wife who throw a dinner party. The three male guests at the party all make advances towards the wife. A puppeteer knocks at the door and offers his entertainment. His performance consists of shadow puppetry thrown on the walls of the house. These shadows are then used to show the partygoers what would happen if they lived out their desires. I really enjoyed this film as I had no idea about the direction the narrative was going to go. It also felt like I was watching something almost forbidden. There was nothing explicitly shown, but the film created an uneasy atmosphere of dangerous sexual tension.

I completely fell in love with my time in Pordenone and really look forward to a future visit to the festival. It was great to be exposed to such a wide variety of films and in such a beautiful and relaxed atmosphere. Being surrounded by fellow cinephiles also added to the experience, and it was great to see some familiar faces.

All information about the films can be found on the festival website.

Pordenone Diaries – Day 2

Pordenone Diaries – Day 2

pordenone

Sunday was our first full day at the festival. The great thing about the festival in Pordenone is that there is such a variety of screenings. If a screening isn’t to your taste, you can still have a full day of interesting viewing. A festival pass allows you to go along to any screening that you want… it was such a stress-free experience. As this was my first time at the festival, I was trying to fit in everything that I could! Screenings start at 9 am and run into the late evening.

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Sunday morning began with a Norwegian film entitled Synnöve Solbakken (A Norwegian Lass). This was a film about a woman from a very religious family and her two would-be suitors. It features beautiful scenes of the Norwegian countryside. I found this film quite interesting as it the religious themes were quite heavily pronounced. Thorbjörn, one of the suitors, spends his youth constantly being tempted into trouble by one of the farmhands that works for his father. The farmhand is eventually sent away, but comes back to torment Thorbjörn later in the film. Because of this, Thorbjörn has a moment of redemption and forgiveness that is one of the highlights of the film. Piano accompaniment was provided by Donald Sosin.

This screening was quickly followed by the first of two events programmed around the idea of “Nasty Women.” This first event contained quite a few shorts about women subverting their role in a domestic environment… usually involving quite a bit of destruction! A few of the shorts in this screening were quite surreal. One short entitled Le Rêve des Marmitons was particularly strange. This short depicted some very lazy kitchen workers who are put into an enchanted sleep by a strange impish figure who then proceeds to lop off their hands! These hands are then put to work to complete the tasks of the workers. Such a weird film! I’ve included it below.

The afternoon screening that we attended was two Max Davidson shorts accompanied by two youth music ensembles. Previous Slapstick Festival guests might remember Pass the Gravy from a few years ago! Call of the Cuckoo featured quite a few famous faces including Laurel and Hardy. Don’t Tell Everything was a very funny short about a father who hides the fact that he has a son from his would-be rich girlfriend. The son dresses as a girl to pose as a maid, and a hilarious case of mixed up identity unfolds. I tried to find the film on YouTube, but haven’t been able to find it just yet. Instead, I’m putting Pass the Gravy below, because it is worth a revisit!

We ended the day with a documentary short and a Pola Negri film. The documentary featured the fishing techniques of the Kavirondo Tribe. The short featured some beautiful imagery of the tribes casting out their nets, but these were marred by the sensationalist language of the intertitles. Daan Van Den Hurk provided the dreamlike piano accompaniment for this short. The main film of the evening was Der Gelbe Schein (The Yellow Ticket) which featured the actress Pola Negri. This film told the story of a young woman who wants to study at a university in St. Petersburg. Because she is Jewish, her identity makes it difficult to attend this school. She poses as another woman to achieve her goals in education. The score for this film was quite unique to the other screenings we attended. It was mainly violin and piano, but also included singing and rhythmic vocalisations. The score was composed by Alicia Svigals, and was performed by Alicia Svigals and Marilyn Lerner.

All information about the films can be found on the festival website.

One more post coming soon about our last day!

Pordenone Diaries – Day 1

Pordenone Diaries – Day 1

Some of the Slapstick team have just returned from an amazing weekend in Italy and Le Giornate Del Cinema Muto, which is currently running there until Saturday. For those that don’t know, this is an international festival of silent film held annually in Pordenone, Italy. We spent the weekend immersed in a wonderful atmosphere celebrating silent film and its continued importance and I thought I would dedicate the next few blog posts to this extraordinary event.

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We arrived on Saturday afternoon. The first screening that we attended was entitled, “Flights and Fashion”, newsreel footage of female aviators, followed by L’Autre Aile, a melodrama about a woman who overcomes the grief of losing her lover (a pilot) in a plane crash by becoming a pilot herself. We all agreed that this film was quite interesting in how it portrayed women as taking charge and not letting romantic interests take centre stage in their pursuits. One of my favourite scenes involved the female lead rebuking the advances of a would-be suitor. There is a close-up of him gently placing his hand on hers and she slowly removes her hand from underneath. The films were accompanied by the lovely music of John Sweeney – one of Slapstick’s regular musicians.

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After a lovely meal, we attended the gala screening of King Vidor’s The Crowd. This was my favourite event of the festival. The film was accompanied by a sixty-piece orchestra performing a score composed by Carl Davis (and conducted by the man himself). The film depicts the life and love of an ordinary man in the city and the accompanying ups and downs. The Crowd is a powerful film with some amazing shots. I don’t want to ruin the film by writing any more about it… as it is worth seeking out and viewing! The film looked amazing on the screen and the score sounded superb! The film was preceded by the Roscoe Arbuckle short, The Butcher Boy. This short is notable as it contains the first screen appearance of Buster Keaton, and was jauntily accompanied by Donald Sosin and Romano Todesco.

All information about the films can be found on the festival website.

I will be writing a couple of more posts this week about the other events that we attended.

The Boot Cake

The Boot Cake

One of the tasks that I help with in the festival office is organising and cataloguing the festival’s very large film collection. Most of this involves just inputting the titles into a database, but occasionally, I do have to investigate the title a bit more. It’s always an interesting task, and I learn quite a bit while doing this. Today, I stumbled across a great documentary that I couldn’t help but watch!

The only information that I had was that the film was titled, The Boot Cake, and that it was a documentary. A quick search on IMDB brought up the film, and the following blurb caught my attention:

“Charlie Chaplin is a saint to earthquake survivors in a small desert town in India and they are throwing him a birthday party. Australian filmmaker Kathryn Millard is taking the cake – a chocolate truffle sponge shaped like the Tramp’s boot.”

Usually, I just watch a clip or two to see if a film is worth further attention. I decided to just give it a go and watch the entire film. I don’t think I stopped smiling through the entire film.

Adipur is a small town in northwest India. There is a group that was formed in this town called the Charlie Circle who revere Charlie Chaplin and his philosophy towards life. They want to do the same as Chaplin… make people smile and bring them joy through laughter. Yes, there is pain in life – but laughter helps us all move forward. Each year the group celebrate Chaplin’s birthday with a procession, cake and screening. The filmmaker was asked to bring a cake modelled after the boot that Chaplin famously eats in The Gold Rush. It’s great to see the whole town gather together to watch the film and celebrate Chaplin’s comedic creation.

Kathryn Millard mainly focuses on this town and its celebration, but she does briefly explore Chaplin’s influence in India and other cultures. I think someone could make a very interesting documentary exploring this subject. I would have liked to have seen a bit more how Chaplin’s films were screened in these other countries. As his films were silent, the visual comedy had a universal appeal and could be easily viewed and understood worldwide. We also get to see three Chaplin impersonators and they discuss why Chaplin had such an impact on their lives.

It is well worth seeking this documentary out. I always find it interesting to hear people speaking passionately about something they love. The film also gives us a chance to get a glimpse of just how far-reaching Chaplin’s fame was. There are also some great clips included of Chaplin copycats who made films during the 1920s to compete with his fame.

I’ve put a link to the trailer for the documentary below:

French and Saunders: Bop-a-dooey-oo

French and Saunders: Bop-a-dooey-oo

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Dawn French Jennifer Saunders

It’s here! It’s finally here! Tomorrow, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders will receive the Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend Award. It’s sure to be a fabulous evening packed full of laughter and surprises. French and Saunders will be joining an illustrious group which includes June Whitfield, Barry Humphries, Barry Cryer, and Ken Dodd. Mel Giedroyc (who also had an early appearance on French and Saunders with her comedy partner, Sue Perkins) will be hosting the evening and leading the conversation. The award is Morph designed to look like the recipients, I can’t wait to see what their Morphs look like!

As an American, I probably stumbled across French and Saunders in a more roundabout way. Comedy Central was still a smaller network in the 1990s and most of their programming consisted of syndicated programs. One of these programs was Absolutely Fabulous which was first broadcast in the US in 1994. This was a huge ratings success for Comedy Central, who made the great decision of airing it uncut and not worrying if certain British references did not translate. Off the success of the program, Comedy Central used to have a program block on Monday evenings called “London Calling.” Absolutely Fabulous was the cornerstone of the evening. French and Saunders was shown afterwards, and this was how I became acquainted with this terrific comedy team. Other programs shown in this comedy block included The Young Ones and Fawlty Towers.

I loved Ab Fab (surprisingly, so did my mother) and I loved the humour of these two women. My favourite French and Saunders sketches are the film parodies, especially their great send-up of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? I wanted to see more from these two, and I actively sought out The Vicar of Dibley to see more of Dawn French. In the US, The Vicar of Dibley was broadcast on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service). This network was the home of other shows such as Keeping Up Appearances, Are You Being Served?, and ‘Allo, ‘Allo! PBS was a great source for exploring other British sitcoms and The Vicar of Dibley was one of their more successful broadcasts.

Ab Fab, French and Saunders, and The Vicar of Dibley were great introductions to British comedy… and other great British actors and comedians. It is only now after living in the UK and revisiting the shows do I realise the impact that these two women had on British comedy. In the US, I only had this little bubble of knowing who French and Saunders were. It is great being able to watch these shows again and appreciate all the humour and references that I was not able to understand before. It’s also a testament to the skill of these two women that their shows were universal enough that they were appreciated by wider audiences.

Tomorrow night will be a truly special event as we get to hear these two talented women discuss their careers and comedic influences. It’s sure to be an informative and entertaining evening. I can’t wait to laugh along with the sold-out crowd at Colston Hall tomorrow night!

Victoria Wood and Julie Walters

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I’ve been trying to stick with the theme of female comedy duos for my blog posts up until our exciting event with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders in June. For this post, I’ve decided to focus on the comedy partnership of Victoria Wood and Julie Walters. Sadly, Victoria Wood passed away last year. Victoria Wood was a true comedy legend, a friend of the festival and hosted one of the Silent Comedy Galas. One of our events this last January was a tribute to Victoria Wood, and I got to watch so much material from this comic genius in preparation for the event. So many of my favourite moments came from the sketches with Wood and Walters.

I’m from the U.S. originally, so Victoria Wood was quite new to me when I first moved to the U.K. Luckily, I have a friend who is a huge fan… so I have him to thank for introducing her style of comedy to me quite early in my U.K. life. I was already quite familiar with Julie Walters, mainly through her film work. In preparation for the event in January, I was introduced to the wonderful pairing of these two. I spent quite a few hours laughing to these two very funny women.

The event in January quite rightly focused on Victoria Wood. Andrew Kelly from the Bristol Festival of Ideas hosted the event which had a panel that included Lucy Porter, Pippa Evans, and Louise Wingrove. I thought that this blog post would be a great opportunity to discuss the working relationship of Wood and Walters, and include some of my favourite sketches!

Victoria Wood and Julie Walters first met in the 1970s in Manchester while applying for school. After a few coincidental meetings, the two gradually developed a long-lasting working relationship. One of the first instances of the two working together was where Julie Walters took the lead role in the television adaptation of Wood’s play, Talent. Victoria Wood was offered the opportunity to develop a sketch show and she decided she would do it only if she could share the billing with Walters. The show that came out of this pairing was Wood and Walters. Walters would also appear in Victoria Wood as Seen on TV. Walters would also appear on the sitcom, Dinnerladies, and in the stage adaptation of the Acorn Antiques sketches from Victoria Wood as Seen on TV.

My absolute favourite sketches are the Acorn Antiques sketches. The sketches are a spoof of an old soap opera entitled Crossroads… but you don’t need to be familiar with this show to enjoy Acorn Antiques! Victoria Wood portrays Miss Berta, one of the owners of the antique shop, and Julie Walters portrays the hilarious Mrs Overall, the shop’s tea lady. I’ve put some of one of my favourite moments below:

French & Saunders: Comedy Legends

French & Saunders:Comedy Legends

For one night only, the Aardman Slapstick Awards present a unique opportunity to see comedy legends Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders in conversation.

Celebrating 30 years since the launch of their award-winning TV Series French & Saunders (1987-2007) this is a rare chance to see the pair together on stage as they discuss their legendary careers with presenter, actor & comedian Mel Giedoryc.

Following this, they’ll be presented with the prestigious ‘Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend Award’; an accolade for their phenomenal achievement as multi-award-winning writer/performers who not only pioneered a new wave of comedy but influenced whole generations of artists that followed.

On hearing they had won the award Dawn joked:

“I just can’t believe we are receiving the Comedy Legend Award from Aardman and Slapstick Festival. Actually, wait a minute … on second thoughts I can, because it’s happening on 22nd June and I’ve already bought a lovely new top s’pecially …”

As well as promising exclusive onscreen extracts of their work, this standout comedy award event will feature more than its fair share of surprises, including messages and special guests.

STOP PRESS: Tickets for this event have now sold out.

The Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend Award with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders takes place on Thursday 22nd June 2017 at 7:30 at Colston Hall.

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Dawn French Jennifer Saunders 1

In Photos: Slapstick 2017

N PHOTOS: SLAPSTICK 2017

In Photos: Slapstick 2017

Above are a series of photos taken during Slapstick 2017, which ran between 25th – 29th January 2017. All events took place either at Colston Hall, Watershed, Bristol Old Vic or Arnolfini.

All images were taken by one of our official festival photographers; Paul LippiattDavid Betteridge and David Gillett.

Click on any  to expand the gallery to full size. The photos will then automatically rotate through the complete set or you can click to speed through them faster.

Field Trip

Field Trip

Two weeks ago, I spent a few days in Berlin. They were very rainy days… but I did get to do quite a bit of sightseeing. I always try to seek out interesting places to visit when I am new to a city. One of the highlights of Berlin (at least for me), was the Museum of Film and Television Berlin.

The museum is in the very modern Sony Centre near the Potsdam train station. As with most museums, it is closed on Mondays. I had forgotten that during my visit… so I tried again on another day! I am very glad that I went back! The museum is a great place to explore and learn about a country that has such a rich cinematic history. Photos were not allowed.

I enjoyed seeing a small sculpture of Max Linder that was produced at the top of his fame… an early example of film merchandising. One of his shorts was played on a screen alongside this case.

One of the more interesting exhibits was about Charlie Chaplin’s visit to Berlin for the premiere of The Kid. Surprisingly, there is not a lot of footage from this event as it was all destroyed. The only surviving footage appears in the notorious propaganda film, Der Ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew), where Chaplin was erroneously identified as Jewish. There was quite a bit of the museum dedicated to this section of history. There were exhibits about the propaganda films that were made, and information about the German directors who left Germany during this time and moved to Hollywood for safety.

There are a few other exhibits that are worth the visit for film history buffs. The museum does a great job of presenting the history of the making of two classic silent films, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and Metropolis. Models of the sets are recreated so that you can learn how some of those great expressionistic scenes were set up. There is also quite a large section dedicated to Marlene Dietrich and here contributions to cinematic history. Costume fans can see many iconic pieces of her wardrobe.

The museum is well worth the visit when in Berlin. It is so informative, and all the exhibition information plaques are in German and English. The very comprehensive audio guide is available in English as well. A must visit for those interested in film history!