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Drum roll please as we unveil the exciting and star-studded programme for Slapstick 2024, including the long-awaited return of our cherished Gala to the venue where it all began, now renamed Bristol Beacon and looking and sounding truly glorious after its extensive refit.

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Gender Rebels On Saturday 22nd April Slapstick presented a series of screen comedies at Watershed, Bristol examining how queer-coding and gender play was taking place onscreen as far back in the 1910s. With three films and three guests hosts feedback from attendees gave us rave reviews with over 85% saying they found the screening’s ‘excellent’. … Read more

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Slapstick Sgt. Pepper’s Competition There’s been so much interest in the Sgt Pepper-esque image created by Keith Kilpin of Aardman for the cover of the Slapstick 2023 brochure and other publicity print that we’ve decided to make it the subject of a Guess Who competition. To enter, study the original artwork, then turn to the … Read more

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Welcome to the 19th edition of Bristol’s very own Silent, Visual and Classic Comedy Festival. Music has been a key ingredient of every Slapstick since the festival began, but for our 19th annual edition, we’re giving it extra special attention.

Chaplin

Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin. All three began their careers more than a century ago

laughter in lockdown

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.

chaplin-the-gold-rush

GOLDRUSH COMPETITION  Want to win two VIP tickets to our Silent Comedy Gala screening of Charlie’s Chaplin’s The Gold Rush? One of cinema’s most iconic scenes is the bread roll dance from The Gold Rush! We would love to see your modern reinterpretations of this comic gem. To win two VIP tickets to The … Read more

Goodies fans will be thrilled to hear that the long wait is finally over as The Goodies: The Complete BBC Collection has, at last, been released!!! We have full details about this quite magnificent artefact below – plus a chance for two lucky people to win a copy of it! The low down: “The DVD set contains … Read more

A Dogs Life © David Betteridge

Slapstick Festival 2018 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 … Read more

We’re running a cheeky little competition to win a pair of tickets to Saturday’s event with Ronnie Golden in The Lantern at Colston Hall. To enter just answer this simple question: Ronnie Golden was the former leader of cult 70s New Wave quartet Fabulous Poodles who were famously radio 1 DJ John Peel’s favourite band. Can … Read more

Great Dictator Ronnie Golden Neil Innes 2 All Photos © David Betteridge Photography

Ronnie Golden and Neil Innes perform a song for Donald Trump During the 2017 edition of Slapstick Festival the organisers programmed a screening of Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator (1940) to coincide with the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States of America, something that happened the day before this … Read more

Simon Callow 3 All Photos © David Betteridge Photography

Day 5 of Slapstick 2017 – A Quick Recap of Yesterday It’s the morning of the last day of the festival! Yesterday was jam-packed with exciting events at the Watershed and Colston Hall. The day started with Chris Serle presenting a Fairbanks and Chaplin double bill. This was followed by a conversation with Roy Hudd … Read more

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Day Four at Slapstick Festival 2017 – Reliving the Gala Last night was our annual Silent Comedy Gala hosted by the wonderful impressionist, Rory Bremner. Topical as always, his Donald Trump was spot-on! He soon had the audience chuckling with his very funny political satire (extremely appropriate considering the timing of the gala with the … Read more

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Slapstick Festival 2017 – 2 Days In! It’s Day Two here at the Slapstick Festival – and we are in full swing! We’ve got our welcome desk set up at the Watershed. If you are coming to one of the events, come and say hello. We’ve also got some great t-shirts, badges, magnets, and posters … Read more

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The 2017 Slapstick T-shirt: The Year Of The Custard Pie Slapstick patron and film historian David Robinson provides some context for our special ‘limited edition’ bonus festival t-shirt. This year’s special ‘bonus’ festival T-shirt simply displays George Orwell’s commendation of the custard pie. Orwell, Britain’s greatest assailant of totalitarianism and authoritarianism, author of 1984 and … Read more

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IN PHOTOS: MICHAEL CRAWFORD – VISUAL COMEDY LEGEND AWARD SHOW In Photos: Michael Crawford – Visual Comedy Legend Award Show All photos above taken by either David Gillett or Paul Lippiatt. On Sunday 23rd October 2016 Slapstick welcomed the brilliant Michael Crawford to Bristol to receive the 2016 Aardman Slapstick “Visual Comedy Legend” Award. Although Michael understandably considers himself to be … Read more

Slap Up Feast of Fun © Paul Lippiatt Slapstick Festival 371

IN PHOTOS: SLAPSTICK’S SLAP UP FEAST OF FUN In Photos: Slapstick’s Slap Up Feast Of Fun On Thursday 29 Sep 2016 Slapstick welcomed John Cleese, Neil Innes, Rory Bremner, Barry Cryer and Ronnie Golden to Colston Hall for a night of comedy and music, hosted by Tim Vine. The evening was a huge success with … Read more

Stand Up Stand Out For Slapstick Photos © Paul Lippiatt Slapstick Festival9

In Photos: Stand Out – Stand Up For Slapstick On Wednesday 14th September Slapstick welcomed six brilliant comedians to Colston Hall for a cracking night of top notch stand up comedy. Hosting the night was Mr. Jack Dee, who introduced a veritable slew of performers including Jason Manford, Richard Herring, Susan Calman, Pippa Evans, Tony Hawks and Richard Herring. … Read more