Slapstick Festival

About

The UK-based Slapstick festival of silent, classic and visual screen comedy is responding to Covid-19 uncertainties by picking a new slot and fresh format for its 17th annual edition.

Instead of running in Bristol venues in January, Slapstick 2021 will take place from March 1 to 7, offering a live streaming programme which can be accessed as it happens, re-watched later or caught on catch-up from anywhere in the world and featuring more international guests than ever before, among them direct descendants of two of the 20th century’s best known comedy film stars.

The full programme has now been revealed, with highlights including:

• Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding reprising their GBBO double act for a celebration of one of the all-time great comedy duos: Laurel & Hardy.

• Comedy conversations with Rob Brydon, Bernie Clifton, Graeme Garden, Robin Ince and the man described as ‘the stand-ups’ stand-up’, Stewart Lee.

• Slapstick’s first ever focus on the screen comedy work of black artists, featuring a rare French silent starring Josephine Baker and a screening of Whoopi Goldberg’s film about ‘Moms’ Mabley.

• Germany’s self-styled UK Ambassador of Comedy Henning Wehn championing the you’ve-never-seen-the-like-of-it work of his compatriot: the comedian, musician & film-maker Helge Schneider.

• The granddaughters of W.C. Fields and Harold Lloyd sharing personal memories of the stars.

• A celebration of the music hall stars who took their skills into cinema, curated and presented by the US-based film history experts Steve Massa and Ben Model live from New York.

• Stand-up Lucy Porter and the actor, impressionist and author/illustrator of the IT GIRL graphic bio Jessica Martin honouring the most popular female screen star of the 1920s: Clara Bow.

• A tribute to Hattie Jacques involving her son Robin Le Mesurier  (taking a short break from his own showbiz career as Rod Stewart’s guitarist). 

Tickets:
Passes for the full 20+ event programme are on sale via www.slapstick.org.uk
£39 over 24s
£20 for under 24s

Tickets for individual events are now on sale too.

Slapstick Live Online is being made possible by sponsorship from Aardman Animations; grants from the BFI (British Film Institute) funded by the National Lottery; Bristol City Council’s coronavirus business support scheme and the European Regional Development Fund,  and the public’s target-busting donations to the festival’s crowdfunding campaign.