Silent Comedy Gala 2017 featuring Harold Lloyd’s classic comedy THE FRESHMAN (1925) with live orchestra Fri 20 Jan 2017 | Colston Hall | 7:30PMTickets: £10.00/£25.00/£27.00 including fees Our annual comedy celebration returns for a lucky thirteenth edition – a unique celebration of the best onscreen classic silent comedy, live music and guest appearances by living legends of British comedy. … Read more
Granddad Defies Odds to Attend Slapstick Festival Every Year Tony has only missed the 10th anniversary celebratory show, when he unfortunately suffered heart failure. He said, “It was midday and I was breathless and dizzy. I was rushed to Southmead. I was really sad to miss it, but it was very much unavoidable. But I am … Read more
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 … Read more
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Michael Crawford: Visual Comedy Legend Sun 23rd October | St. George’s | 1:00PM Tickets: £8.00/£16.00/£22.00 (plus booking fee) As the accident-prone yet loveable Frank Spencer in BBC TV’s classic comedy Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em (1973-78), Michael Crawford captivated 16 million viewers a week and turned “Ooh, Betty” into a national catchphrase. The role also earned … Read more
JollyWood! The Golden Age of Mancunian films Cert: PGPerformer Mike Livesley (Sir Henry at Rawlinson End/Bonzo Dog-Doo-Dah Band) Thur 21st Jan | Watershed | 4:00PMTickets: £6.00/£8.00 A whistle-stop charabang ride through the almost mythical world of Mancunian Film studio known affectionately as ‘Jollywood’. In 1932 a meeting took place between film distributors James Blakeley, his … Read more
Here Come the Double Deckers: Re-united! Cert:U UPDATE! See below. Sun 24th Jan | Watershed | 11:10AMTickets: £6.00/£8.00 ‘Come on board’ for the ride of your life and meet members of the original cast of The Double Deckers. Meet Debbie Russ (Tiger) and Dr Gillian Bush-Bailey (Billie) as they discuss the phenomenal success of the slapstick … Read more
Rediscovered and Restored! Cert: PGwith Serge Bromberg Wed 20th Jan | Watershed | 8:30PMTickets: £6.50/£9.00 The days of watching old flickering images from faded silent film prints are almost gone. In their place comes the glorious parade of meticulously restored prints from the world’s finest film archives. Witness the talents of one of Europe’s finest … Read more
Chaplin’s The Kid: The Inside Story Cert: PGwith David Robinson Fri 22nd Jan | Watershed | 5:40PMTickets: £6.00/£8.00 Chaplin authority David Robinson offers fresh insights on Chaplin’s THE KID – presented later this evening with live performance of Chaplin’s own musical score. One of the world’s great comedies, at the same time achieving a … Read more
Mack Sennett: King Of Comedy Cert: Uwith David Robinson Fri 22nd Jan | Watershed | 11:30AMTickets: £6.00/£8.00 David Robinson* film critic, author and Chaplin’s official biographer will be celebrating the mastermind of early slapstick comedy, the actor and producer, Mack Sennett. David will take you on a journey through his best comedy shorts from the … Read more
THURSDAY NIGHT SPECIAL EVENT Chicago (1927) with Denise Coffey Cert:PGWith live accompaniment by The European Silent Screen VirtuosiCecil B DeMIlle US Thur 21st Jan | Arnolfini | 8:00PMTickets: £7.50/£10.50 Starring Phyllis Haver in an understated comic appearance, this is the original version of the subsequent global musical and Hollywood film Chicago. Based on a true … Read more
Laurel & Hardy: Way Out West (1937) Cert: U introduced by Bill Oddie UPDATE – Programme Change…See Below! Sunday Morning Slapstick With Bill Oddie: Laurel & Hardy Sun 24th Jan | Watershed | 9:15AMTickets: £6.00/£8.00 Like most Slapstick comedy, best laid plans do sometimes go awry. Due to unforeseen circumstances relating to rights clearances, please … Read more
Bill Oddie’s Saturday Banana Cert:U Sat 23rd Jan | Watershed | 11:15AMTickets: £6.00/£8.00 Bill Oddie introduces highlights and extracts from popular Slapstick children’s television programmes from the 1960s and early 70s. Bill hosted the popular children’s TV programme Saturday Banana in the late seventies whilst being one third of comedy legend trio The Goodies. Here … Read more
Way Out West: Douglas FairbanksWild and Woolly (1917) Cert: PGDir John Emerson US Fri 22nd Jan | Watershed | 3:30PMTickets: £6.00/£8.00 Starring the King of Hollywood, Douglas Fairbanks, Wild and Woolly is one of the best action packed comedy Westerns of the silent era. Jeff is a rich Easterner who always wanted to live in … Read more
Laura La Plante: Home James (1928)With Kevin BrownlowDir William Beaudine US Fri 22nd Jan | Watershed | 09:30AMTickets: £6.00/£8.00 “It got bad reviews at the time but old films often mature on the shelf like fine wine. When I finally saw this picture, 70 years after it was made, I thought it hilarious. Laura la … Read more
SOLD OUT Cary Grant: The Awful Truth (1937) Cert: PGintroduced by Lucy PorterDir: Leo McCarey US Thur 21st Jan | Watershed | 5:50PMTickets: £6.00/£8.00 THIS EVENT HAS NOW SOLD OUT. Bristol’s legendary Cary Grant teams with screwball comedy’s most underrated actress, Irene Dunne, in the film that broke him as a romantic lead. Named as … Read more
Silent Comedy Westerns Cert: PGWith Kevin Brownlow Thur 21st Jan | Watershed | 2:00PMTickets: £6.00/£8.00 Oscar winning director and film historian Kevin Brownlow shares some of his favourite and lesser known Western comedy shorts. With impersonations of famous Western stars, and gags that mock the best cliché’s of the genre, Kevin will take us on … Read more
Matt Lucas’ Banana SkinSlapstick Pre-Festival Launch Event Fri 4 Dec | St George’s | 8:00PMTickets: £19.50/£15.00/£7.00 (plus booking fee) Matt is one of the UK’s best loved comic actors. From Shooting Stars to Come Fly with Me via the extraordinary global success of Little Britain, Matt’s body of work is full of visual comedy and … Read more
Tim Vine: Why I Love SGT Bilko Sat 23rd Jan | St. George’s | 2:40PMTickets: £10.00/£7.50/£5.00 (plus booking fee) Award winning punster and stand up comedian Tim Vine shares his admiration and passion for Phil Silvers. In particular his longrunning sitcom, The Phil Silvers Show known fondly to most as simply ‘Bilko’. From its initial … Read more
SOLD OUT! Stephen Merchant’s Top Comedy Moments Sun 24th Jan | St George’s | 5:15PMTickets: £7.00/£15.00/£19.50 (plus booking fee) THIS EVENT HAS NOW SOLD OUT We are delighted to welcome Bristol-born Stephen Merchant to the Slapstick Festival as he chooses his top visual comedy clips. An accomplished stand up comedian, actor, writer and director … Read more
Danny Baker: Why I Love Ben Turpin Sun 24th Jan | St. George’s | 12:40PMTickets: £15.00/£7.50/£5.00 Under 12s £6.00 (plus booking fee) For over a quarter of a century Danny Baker has delighted and entertained us as one of UK’s finest and funniest radio and television presenters. Recently Danny has received well deserved praise for … Read more
Passionate About BusterWith Ian Lavender and Robin Ince UPDATE: Please see below. Sat 23rd Jan | St. George’s | 8:00PMTickets: £19.50/£15.00/£7.00 (plus booking fee) As mutual admirers of the great ‘stone-face’ Ian Lavender and *Robin Ince will delight the audience telling us how they’ve been inspired by Keaton’s stunt work and comedy. This will be followed by a superb double … Read more
Marcus Meets the Goodies Sat 23rd Jan | St. George’s | 5:00PMTickets: £15.00/£12.00/£6.00 (plus booking fee) Satirist and comedian Marcus Brigstocke (God Collar, The Brig Society) meets the UK’s finest comedy trio reunited at Slapstick Festival for a rare public screening of their western comedy classic ‘Bun Fight at the OK Tea Rooms’ (1975) Dir … Read more
Barry Cryer & Ronnie Golder: Past Masters Sun 24th Jan | St. George’s | 8:00PMTickets: £15.00/£12.00/£6.00 (plus booking fee) Live music and classic comedy from this exceptional pair as they close the weekend Slapstick Celebrations. Expect comedy songs and gags galore from the well-loved duo, just back from the Edinburgh Fringe and proving they are … Read more
SOLD OUT! Ken Dodd OBE: Comedy Legend Mon 25th Jan | St George’s | 7:30PMTickets: £22.00/£16.00/£8.00 (plus booking fee) THIS EVENT HAD NOW SOLD OUT! We are absolutely tickled pink to be giving the fourth annual ‘Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend Award’ to none other than comedy icon and national treasure, Ken Dodd. He is unrivalled … Read more
It’s Shaun the Sheep!With the Writers/Directors in Conversation with Marcus Brigstoke. Sat 23th Jan | St. George’s | 12:30PMTickets: £10.00/£7.50/£5.00 Under 12s £6.00 (plus booking fee) Aardman’s latest movie has been a huge box office success and attracted rave reviews from all over the world. Shaun’s fame is such that the TV series is broadcast … Read more
A Massive Thank You! A huge thanks to all the Slapstickers who donated to our Kickstarter campaign and helped make the 2016 Slapstick Festival. We surpassed our goal and it’s all because of you. Whether you pledged £100 or £1 or simply shared our posts – thank you for making Slapstick 2016 the best it’s going … Read more
Last Friday Slapstick Festival, in partnership with Bristol Festival of Ideas and Aardman Animations, awarded Barry Cryer OBE with the Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend Award. In accepting it Barry became the third winner of the award, joining Barry Humphries CBE (2014) and June Whitfield CBE (2013). More information about the Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend Award … Read more
Silent Comedy Gala at Colston Hall Slapstick Festival’s annual celebration of silent comedy returns to Colston Hall for a 12th year, beginning with a special triple bill. Charlie Chaplin’s first feature film, THE KID (1921) is rightly considered a cinematic masterpiece. This is a UK premiere of Chaplin’s own score performed live by a 15-piece … Read more
Last Friday Slapstick Festival, in partnership with Bristol Festival of Ideas and Aardman Animations, awarded Barry Cryer OBE with the Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend Award. In accepting it Barry became the third winner of the award, joining Barry Humphries CBE (2014) and June Whitfield CBE (2013). More information about the Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend Award … Read more
NEVER MISS A LUBITSCH! The neatest recent assessment of the films of Ernst Lubitsch is that of the Chicago critic Michael Wilminton: they are, he says, “at once elegant and ribald, sophisticated and earthy, urbane and bemused, frivolous yet profound. They were directed by a man who was amused by sex rather than frightened of … Read more