Slapstick Festival 2024 Featuring our 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. This year we had over 30 unique comedy events and over the course of the week (Wednesday 14 to Sunday 18 February) we … Read more
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
Slapstick Festival 2022 For 2022 The Slapstick Festival of visual comedy announced a fantastic line up of comedy and comedy writing talent from the likes of Stephen Mangan, David Mitchell, Sally Phillips, Ronni Ancona, Richard Herring, Armando Iannucci, Arthur Smith, Lucy Porter and many more. There were also significant contributions from a number of film … Read more
Slapstick Festival 2021 The year we went online! This is the year where nothing went to plan and as we were preparing for the 2021 Festival, Bristol went into the highest tier of Covid-19 restrictions. Using the £11,000 raised by a festival’s crowdfunding campaign during lockdown, we made the decision to go online. Festival Director … Read more
The 16th edition of Bristol’s own Slapstick Festival celebrates comedy in all its aspects
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 … Read more
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. … Read more
Slapstick Festival 2017 18th – 22nd January Archive: Slapstick Festival 2017 Slapstick 2017 (18-22 January) was our biggest ever festival with more events staged – and more guests attending – than at any previous edition. By all accounts, it was also our most successful festival ever – something our festival director, Chris Daniels, reflected on in a post … Read more
Slapstick Festival 2016
Slapstick Festival 2015 Festival Program
Slapstick Festival 2014
Slapstick Festival 2013 In Photos: When Victoria Wood Hosted The 2013 Slapstick Festival Gala Back in 2012 we were thrilled and excited when the one and only Victoria Wood agreed to host our 2013 gala. As expected she hit the ball out of the park, taking on the roll with aplomb, insight, laughs galore and, … Read more
Slapstick Festival 2012 Bristol’s Slapstick Festival returns for an eighth incredible year, bringing laughter and hilarity to Bristol in the dark, early days of the New Year… just when we need it the most! Slapstick Festival is returning to Bristol and it’s bigger and better than ever with seventeen unique events forming our most exciting … Read more
Slapstick Festival 2011
Slapstick Festival 2010 Festival Program
Slapstick Festival 2009
Slapstick Festival 2008 Taking place at Watershed, Colston Hall,Arnolfini and St George’s Bristol, Slapstick 2008 is bursting at the seams with remarkable film comedy and extraordinary talent. Paul Merton returns to host a very special Slapstick Gala event at Colston Hall, and other highlights include: special guests Peter Lord and Richard Williams hosting a celebration … Read more
Slapstick Festival 2007 Bristol’s Silent Comedy Festival returns for a third year. Slapstick 2007 is bigger and even funnier than before, with events held across three Bristol venues: Watershed, Arnolfini and Colston Hall. Hosted once more by Paul Merton, it features a wealth of special guests including Bonzo front man and ex-Rutle Neil Innes , … Read more
Slapstick Festival 2006 Bristol Silents in partnership with Watershed and Colston Hall presents a weekend of classic film comedy and laughter from the ‘big five’: Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy through to ‘lost’ mini masterpieces from the era. Hosted by the inimitable Paul Merton and with this year’s special festival guest former silent … Read more
Slapstick Festival 2005 The 2005 Slapstick Film Festival took place on 13th-16th January and proved to be a remarkable success. Following the showcase Colston Hall event, the Evening Post hailed the festival as “the start of another great Bristolian institution.”