Writer film historian and Silent London blogger Pamela Hutchinson offers a context for our Soviet comedies day with a brief presentation highlighting the influence of 1920s Soviet silent comedies. + Chess Fever (1925). Shot in Moscow with real footage from the World Chess Championships, this film follows a young woman (Anna Zemtsova) frustrated by her … Read more
To start today’s line-up of satirical films from the old Soviet Union, Slapstick favourite Lucy Porter introduces a deliciously screwball romcom directed by Boris Barnet, often hailed as the master of Soviet silent cinema. It stars the Ukrainian/Swedish beauty, Anna Sten – later whisked to Hollywood by Sam Goldwyn who dubbed her ‘the new Greta … Read more
We’re delighted to welcome Buster Keaton’s granddaughter Melissa Talmadge Cox, via video link from California, in conversation with Keaton scholar Polly Rose to introduce the Great Stoneface’s final silent, the Berlin Festival award-winning THE RAILRODDER (Dir: Gerald Potterton, Canada, 1965, 24 mins). Shot in colour, the film features Buster’s breathtaking gag-packed solo rail trip across … Read more
Buster Keaton makes his feature film debut in THE SAPHEAD, directed by the husband of groundbreaking filmmaker Alice Guy. Keaton plays Bertie, the pampered son of a silver mine owner and brother-in-law to a shady investor who ruins Bertie’s wedding plans with lies and puts the family’s wealth in jeopardy. Host Polly Rose (University of … Read more
Stand-up star Lucy Porter introduces two films linked by their takes on marriage. The short, LE TORCHON BRULE (Romeo Busetti, France, 1911, 5 mins) is by far the oldest and shortest in this year’s programme, starring Sarah Duhamel as one half of a couple engaged in all-out war. The main feature is OH! WHAT A … Read more
Laugh-out-loud sight gags, sharp satirical digs at the business side of Hollywood and some of cinema’s best known stars feature throughout this fine satire – charting the attempts by Mel Brooks and the lost-too-young Marty Feldman to make a silent film. True to its title, the movie is completely silent—save for one unforgettable word delivered … Read more
W.C.Fields is best known for his witty, cantankerous quotes and later talkies but here in this early silent comedy he shines as the henpecked Elmer. Regularly criticised by work colleagues and disrespected by clients until ,that is, he’s hypnotised into believing he is a lion. Host Andrew Kelly will be talking live via Zoom to … Read more
A comedy about four single girls with busy office jobs and love lives sharing a flat in a big city. Sounds like the plot of a modern TV series, doesn’t it? But not only does Norrtullsligan date from 1923 it was an adaptation of stories published 15 years earlier by journalist and feminist Elin Wägner. … Read more
To open Slapstick’s 20th anniversary edition Aardman’s co-founder chats with Andrew Smith , director of Cartoon Carnival a lovingly-researched documentary telling the story of the pioneering early days of animated film and of one film preservationist’s quest to rescue pre-sound cartoons from obscurity and share them with new audiences. We will be showing the film … Read more
Celebrate Valentine’s Day in a unique and unforgettable way by joining Bristol’s Slapstick Festival for its 20th-anniversary Silent Comedy Gala, hosted by none other than the brilliant, award-winning actor Martin Freeman. Known and loved worldwide for his iconic roles in Sherlock, The Hobbit, The Office, and Black Panther, Martin’s razor-sharp wit, charm, and deep passion … Read more
DOWNTON ABBEY, THE GOLD and PADDINGTON films star Hugh Bonneville introduces a triple bill of laugh-out-loud silent comedy classics, back in the auditorium where Slapstick began and with each showing on a giant screen with live musical accompaniment.Topping the film bill at the Slapstick’s 20th gala will be the double Oscar-nominated THE GOLD RUSH (1925), … Read more
Your host for the evening is TV host (The Last Leg), activist and stand up comedian Adam Hills. For this rare onstage performance Adam will be joined by and incredible line-up featuring the best UK comedy talent including Jack Dee, Richard Herring, Ria Lina, Alasdair Beckett-King and Tony Hawks. Organised in support of Bristol’s vintage comedy not-for-profit … Read more
ON SALE FRI 26 JULY, 10am.Reading Arts Members’ Priority Booking From Thurs 25 July, 10am.EARLY-BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE…Book Now and Get £4 Off Supporting Bristol’s Slapstick Festival, this fundraising comedy event promises to be an unforgettable evening of laughter featuring some of the brightest stars in British stand-up comedy today. By attending this event, you get to … Read more
Norma Talmadge is best-remembered for silent melodramas but she was a fine comedy actor, too, as proved by this Paris-set romcom. In it, she plays a street waif angling for a singing and dancing job in a theatre and for the heart of its handsome manager (Ronald Colman). Her ruses involve sparky battles with his … Read more
In a rare and unique live appearance Adam Hills MBE, Aussie-born stand-up, host of the award-winning Channel 4 series THE LAST LEG, disability champion and novelist, makes his Slapstick festival debut – sharing the comedy film titles he’d most want to have with him if he was ever marooned on a desert island. Hills is … Read more
Film and comedy enthusiasts have long marvelled at Terry Gilliam’s artistic, inventive imagery, and his ability to craft extraordinary worlds since his early days contributing animated content to the groundbreaking Do Not Adjust Your Set (1968) and the iconic Monty Python series (1969–1974). After co-directing Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Terry created a … Read more
Lucky Dog Theatre Productions return to Slapstick with a follow-up to their internationally loved and award-winning ‘Hats Off To Laurel And Hardy’ with a new show recreating favourite Stan and Ollie movie sequences plus sketches and song and dance routines performed by the duo during their 1940s/50s theatre tours, including on their visit to Bristol … Read more
This fundraising comedy event promises to be an unforgettable evening of laughter featuring some of the brightest stars in British stand-up comedy today. Hosted by actor, writer and comedian Alexei Sayle, ‘Stand Out Stand Up’ features renowned comedians Henning Wehn, Zoe Lyons, Boothby Graffoe, Lucy Pearman, and Charlie George, each bringing their unique comedic styles … Read more
He is feted as one of the UK’s most versatile actors – justly praised for his performances in dramas, thrillers, biopics, musicals and Shakespeare plays on stage, film and TV. Robert Lindsay’s comedy credentials are equally impressive, thanks to long-running roles in acclaimed series’ such as My Family and Citizen Smith and cameo appearances in … Read more
Your host for the evening is ROBIN INCE. Join us for an unforgettable evening of laughter and stand up at The Hexagon Theatre in Reading! The highly anticipated Big Comedy Bash returns, and this time it’s bigger and better than ever. With your host Robin Ince and featuring an outstanding line-up of top comedians, including the fabulous Josh Widdecombe along with … Read more