Comedy horror, Sir Michael Palin and a former Doctor Who take centre stage at Slapstick 2024

Slapstick, Europe’s biggest festival of silent and classic screen comedy, has unveiled its full programme for its 20th annual event, which runs from Wed 14-Sun 18 February at venues across Bristol.

In addition to the previously announced Slapstick Gala, hosted by Hugh Bonneville at the refurbished Bristol Beacon, there’s the usual full Sunday programme of events at the Bristol Old Vic. These include Alan Bleasdale’s GBH Revisited, in which cast members Michael Palin and Robert Lindsay take a look back at Bleasdale’s dark political comedy. Lindsay will also be sticking around to receive the annual Aardman/Slapstick Comedy Award in a clips-laden event hosted by Matthew Sweet. Expect to see classic moments from the great Citizen Smith.

Robert Lindsay as Wolfie Smith

Elsewhere, Alasdair Beckett-King and Robin Ince host a screening of the oft-remade 1927 comedy horror ‘old dark house’ classic The Cat and the Canary. The comedy horror strand also includes a family-friendly screening of the best Abbott and Costello film: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

Former Doctor Who Sylvester McCoy pitches up for a celebration of his long and varied comedy career, which began in 1965 when he played silent characters in the cast of the Bristol-made Vision On (which also kickstarted the careers of Aardman Animations founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton). Host Matthew Sweet will also be awarding him the Slapstick Legacy Medal, which honours performers who keep slapstick traditions alive.

Sylvester McCoy. Pic: Simon King

Tim Vine has raided his archive for video clips from his life and career where he trips, falls over or does something daftly laughable, not always on purpose. He’ll also be premiering a brand new short film, entitled Fearmoth.

In The Thinking Woman’s Guide to the Goodies, broadcaster and Slapstick regular Samira Ahmed returns to join Graeme Garden to consider whether the hit 1970s/1980s TV series is due a reappraisal as a catalyst for social change. It’s an intriguing idea, but one can’t help but wonder whether the trio’s blacking up to satirise racism might prove a little too challenging for Gen Z.

Big Jim & the Figaro Club

The long-forgotten made-in-Bristol 1970s sitcom Big Jim & The Figaro Club is celebrated in a special event hosted by Andrew Kelly. Described variously as ‘the lost great sitcom’ and ‘an unsung masterpiece’, it’s set in a 1950s seaside town where building firm foreman Big Jim and his team are forever finding new ways to avoid doing any work. Cast members David John and Sylvester McCoy and series producer Colin Rose will be present to share anecdotes and clips from the production.

Up in Mabel’s Room

As usual, there’s also a full programme of classic silent comedy. Festival regular Lucy Porter introduces the 1926 romantic farce Up in Mabel’s Room in which Marie Prevost meets, falls for and marries Harrison Ford (not that one), only to divorce him after she discovers he’s secretly bought some daring female underwear which she believes is for another woman. Marcus Brigstocke and Robin Ince team up to explore the global effort which has gone into finding and restoring the films made by Laurel and Hardy in 1927 – the first full year of their comedy partnership.

Painfully Funny! When Stunts Go Wrong

But perhaps the most intriguing session is Painfully Funny! When Stunts Go Wrong, in which Christina Newland, lead film critic at the i newspaper and contributing editor at Empire, takes a look at very real dangers faced by actors and stuntmen in the early days of silent movies – from Harold Lloyd accidentally blowing a few of his fingers off to the bizarre death of silent comedian Billy Ritchie following an ostrich attack.

Tickets for all events are on sale now. Visit the Slapstick website for further information.

All images: Slapstick