Wednesday 14th Feb. (19:00 Bristol Beacon: Lantern Hall)
Kicking off Slapstick’s Comedy Horror strand, get ready for a spine-tingling night of laughter and suspense with the pioneering silent comedy-horror The Cat & The Canary
Slapstick Events & Festival
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
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
Slapstick Festival 2023 This was 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, and for the 19th annual edition, we gave it extra special attention. As well as live accompaniments to all our silent films, we celebrating … Read more
Fri 16 Feb 2024 (7.30pm)
Hosted by Hugh Bonneville, Bristol Slapstick Festival presents, ‘The Gold Rush’ (1925) with live orchestra. To set the mood, the Shanghai Shuffle jazz band will be playing in the foyer from 18:00, providing a speakeasy atmosphere that captures the essence of the 1920s
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
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
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 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
Sunday 23 July (17:00)
Take a hysterical mystery tour through The Beatles Story as you’ve never heard it told before
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’
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
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
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
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
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!
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.
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
Sunday 19th February 2023 (7.30pm)
In a live podcast recording of ‘The Good Listening To Show’ (also streaming on Facebook & YouTube) actor, comedian and Instant Wit improviser Chris Grimes hosts a wide-ranging chat with Slapstick Festival regular, stand-up, author and broadcaster Robin Ince.
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
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
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.
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..
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.
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)
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
Sat 18th Feb, 2023 (17:30)
With Nigel Planer & Peter Richardson, who celebrate the 40th anniversary of the ground-breaking classic comedy series, by sharing anecdotes & favourite clips
Sat 18th Feb, 2023 (14:30)
Comic Strip gang’s mockumentary about the heavy metal band Bad News – back together four years after an acrimonious break-up. Joining us for the screening will be Nigel Planer and Peter Richardson.
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!
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)