2024 Event, Events: Archive

Barry Cryer: Same Time Tomorrow

2024 Event, Events: Archive

Wednesday 14th Feb. (16:15 Watershed)
National treasure Barry Cryer rarely missed a Slapstick festival and was as beloved by our audiences as he was by showbiz colleagues and the British public

Leading Women: Exit Smiling (1926)

2024 Event, Events: Archive

Wednesday 14th Feb. (14:00 Watershed)
Beatrice Lillie was already a stage superstar and billed as ‘the funniest woman in the world’ when she made her Hollywood debut in this film

Stand Out Stand Up For Slapstick

2024 Event, Recently Ended

Friday 17 Nov 2023 (7.30pm)
Hosted by Alexie Sayle, Bristol Slapstick Festival presents, 'Stand Out Stand Up For Slapstick' With Henning Wehn, Boothby Graffoe, Zoe Lyons , Lucy Pearman & Charlie George

The Big Comedy Bash, Oct 2023

2023 Event, Events: Archive

Thursday 19th October 2023 (7.30pm)
Slapstick Festival’s annual comedy fundraiser is back at Reading’s Hexagon theatre. Hosted by Rob Brydon with Adam Kay, Alasdair Beckett-King, Jay Lafferty, Alistair McGowan, Arthur Smith, Dee Allum. + more

The Big Comedy Bash 2023

2023 Event, Events: Archive, Recently Ended

Wednesday 10th May 2023 (7.30pm)
Slapstick Festival’s annual comedy fundraiser is back at Reading’s Hexagon theatre. Event features, Marcus Brigstocke, Jo Brand, Milton Jones, Ria Lina, Archie Maddocks and Dr Phil Hammond

Gender Rebels

2023 Event, Recently Ended, Silent Comedy

Saturday 22 April
Save money with a pass for all 3 films for only £15: 'I Don’t Want to be a Man', 'Beverly of Graustark (1926)', 'Victor / Victoria'

Victor / Victoria

2023 Event, Recently Ended, Silent Comedy

Saturday 22 April (19.30)
Julie Andrews plays a down-on-her-luck opera singer who is persuaded by a gay drag artist friend (Robert Preston) to pretend to be a man pretending to be a woman. With an introduction from the award-winning performer, filmmaker and playwright Malaika Kegode

Beverly of Graustark (1926)

2023 Event, Recently Ended, Silent Comedy

Saturday 22 April (15:00)
The Brilliant Marion Davies poses as a man who is to become the prince of Graustark. Unfortunately, along with his title she also adopts his enemies! Piano accompaniment from Meg Morley and introduction from Bristol’s reigning City Poet Kat Lyons

I Don’t Want to be a Man

2023 Event, Recently Ended, Silent Comedy

Saturday 22 April (11:30)
In this raucous, flirtatious film, a boisterous teenage girl (Ossi Oswalda) becomes so tired of being bossed about she decides to pose as a man. With a live piano accompaniment from Meg Morley and an introduction from internationally respected film historian Pamela Hutchinson

Harold Lloyd in Safety Last! (1923)

2023 Event, Events: Archive, Silent Comedy

Saturday 1 April 2023 (20:00)
Exactly 100 years to the day of its first release, Bristol Slapstick proudly presents one of the greatest films ever made! The event will have live music and a special guest!

MICHAEL PALIN: Beyond Python

2023 Event, Python & Palin, Recently Ended

Sunday 19th February 2023 (8.30pm)
Sir Michael Palin in conversation with Rob Brydon: He may be best known for his work with Monty Python but Sir Michael Palin (80 in May) has a long and distinguished track record as a comedy writer and performer

Monty Python’s LIFE OF BRIAN onscreen

2023 Event, Python & Palin, Recently Ended

Sunday 19th February 2023 (5.30pm)
With Sir Michael Palin and Stephen Merchant - A big screen showing of the film that sparked international controversy - and hilarity - by telling the story of Brian of Nazareth

Griff Rhys Jones: Why I still love Laurel & Hardy

2023 Event, Recently Ended

Sunday 19th February 2023 (3pm)
Join the star of Not The Nine O’Clock News, Smith & Jones and Three Men In A Boat as he returns to Slapstick with an event championing his favourite comedy duo – Laurel & Hardy

Monty Python’s Book Shambles

2023 Event, Python & Palin

Sunday 19th February 2023 (2pm)
Hosted by Robin Ince and special guests: Be part of the participating audience at a recording for a Monty Python-themed future edition of the chart-topping podcast.

A Hard Day’s Night

2023 Event, Music, Musical Comedy, Recently Ended

Sunday 19th February 2023 (12 Noon)
Onscreen with special guest Mike McCartney: Ranked among the BFI’s top 100 British films and nominated both for a BAFTA and two Oscars..

Ode to Joyce

2023 Event, Musical Comedy, Recently Ended

Sunday 19th February 2023 (11.30am)
Cheryl Knight stars in a must-see tribute to Joyce Grenfell (1910 - 1979) whose hilarious and acutely-observed monologues and songs made her a global comedy star last century and inspired many other entertainers including Miranda Hart and the late, great, Victoria Wood.

The Rutles: All You Need is Cash

2023 Event, Musical Comedy, Python & Palin

Sun 19th Feb, 2023 (09:30)
Introduction from John "Barry Wom" Halsey
This is the Eric Idle/ Neil Innes cult classic mockumentary which paved the way for all others, including This Is Spinal Tap (1984) and The Comic Strip’s Bad News(1983) and More Bad News (1988)

The Scaffold: A Celebration

2023 Event, Musical Comedy, Recently Ended

Sat 18th Feb, 2023 (20:30)
There’s never been a satirical performance group quite like The Scaffold. With superfan and guest presenter Harry Hill onboard you, can be sure of an evening of hilarious stories, sketches, poems and more

Harry Hill: Breaking the Silence

2023 Event, Recently Ended, Silent Comedy

Sat 18th Feb, 2023 (12:00)
Harry Hill talks about his Lonely Island short film series, including a screening of one never before seen. We also have extracts from the ‘work in progress’ and a brief ‘Caveman’ live performance!

The Extraordinary World of Charley Bowers

2023 Event, Silent Comedy

Sat 18th Feb, 2023 (09:30)
Animator, director, producer and Aardman Animations co-founder Peter Lord introduces us to the work of actor, inventor and animator Charley Bowers (1877 - 1946)

Harold Lloyd in Speedy (1928)

2023 Event, Recently Ended, Silent Comedy

Fri 17th Feb, 2023 (20:30)
Harold Lloyd’s last great silent masterpiece. Journey back in time to 1920s New York via this Oscar-nominated comedy.

A Violin Over The Head

2023 Event, Silent Comedy

Fri 17th Feb, 2023 (15:30)
Oliver Double introduces a dazzling array of historic footage featuring routines by comedians, singers, dancers and spesh acts who mixed melody and pratfalls. Include Stanelli and his Hornchestra, Little Tich, the Bill Hall Trio, Lily Morris, and Wilson, Keppel & Betty.

Harry Langdon: Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926)

2023 Event, Silent Comedy

Fri 17th Feb, 2023 (13:40)
Made when Harry Langdon was still developing his man-child character with a young scriptwriter called Frank Capra and featuring Joan Crawford in one of her earliest starring roles

A Private Function (1984)

2023 Event, Python & Palin

Fri 17th Feb, 2023 (09:30)
With specially recorded introduction from Sir Michael Palin, we continue our 80th birthday salute to comedy legend Sir Michael Palin with one of his personal favourite starring films.

Silent Comedy Gala Special

2023 Event, Silent Comedy

Thurs 16 Feb, 2023 (20:30)
1924 Buster Keaton At The Double!
Double Bill of The Navigator & Sherlock Jr, with Graeme Garden, Polly Rose & Ensemble ImproCinema, Günter A. Buchwald and percussionist Frank Bockius.

Monty Python & The Holy Grail

2023 Event, Musical Comedy, Python & Palin

Thurs 16 Feb, 2023 (17:30)
With specially recorded introductions from Sir Michael Palin & John Cleese

Free Online Event: Paths to Paradise

2023 Event, Silent Comedy, Special

Thurs 16 Feb, 2023 (15:30)
FREE EVENT Live From New York, With Steve Massa & Ben Model Raymond Griffith in Paths To Paradise

I Kiss Your Hand, Madam (1929)

2023 Event, Silent Comedy

Thurs 16 Feb (13:30)
A rare chance to see Marlene Dietrich in one of the last films she made in Germany before she was spotted by actor/director Josef von Sternberg

Charlie’s London: A Success Story

2023 Event, Silent Comedy

Thurs 16 Feb, 2023 (11:40)
Join Ayşe Behçet and Karl Stephan as they discuss the book Charlie’s London: From East Lane to the Limelight - a Chaplin Estate-blessed biography in full-colour graphic comic format.

East Of Ipswich (1987)

2023 Event, Python & Palin

Thurs 16 Feb, 2023 (09:30)
A comedy coming-of-age film, scripted by Michael Palin for BBC 2’s Screen Two series and inspired in part by his family holiday to a sleepy seaside resort in 1959, during which he first met his future wife.