Film / News
Slapstick announces details of 2025 gala and puts tickets on sale
Next year, Bristol’s globally renowned Slapstick festival of classic and silent comedy celebrates its 20th birthday. The festival has just announced details of the annual Slapstick Gala, which takes place at the Bristol Beacon on Valentine’s Day (Friday 14 February).

Prog god Rick Wakeman returns to Slapstick
Guests include comedy enthusiast prog god and longtime Slapstick supporter Rick Wakeman, who used to pitch up with his chum, the late Ian Lavender. This time, Rick will be playing piano accompaniment to Laurel and Hardy’s final silent short, Angora Love (1929), in which the duo become entangled with a doughnut-loving wandering goat.

Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel in ‘Angora Love’
There’s also a return appearance by The Matinee Idles – the A cappella band featuring TV and film star Paul McGann – who took part in Slapstick’s very first gala back in 2005.
is needed now More than ever

Buster Keaton in ‘Steamboat Bill Jr.’
The main feature is the stunt-packed Buster Keaton classic Steamboat Bill Jr., which includes that legendary scene where a house falls down around old Stone Face. Also being shown is Charlie Chaplin’s increasingly relevant The Immigrant (1917) – one of his best Mutual Film Corporation shorts, in which the Little Tramp finds himself accused of theft during a steamship journey across the Atlantic and falls for a young woman (Chaplin regular Edna Purviance) along the way.

Charlie Chaplin and Edna Purviance in ‘The Immigrant’
“Slapstick’s Silent Comedy Gala is always a highlight of the festival and 2025’s will be extra special – taking place in our 20th birthday year and on Valentine’s Day,” says Festival Director Chris Daniels.
“In honour of the date, we’ll be showing three silent comedies which are all bona fide gems – all beautifully restored, all showing on a giant screen; each accompanied live by world class musicians, including the European Silent Screen Virtuosi, Bristol Ensemble members and the unsurpassable Rick Wakeman and all three certain to spark laughter. And if that isn’t enough, we’ll also have a flashback to our very first Gala in 2005, courtesy of the Matinee Idles. So all in all a very lovely Valentine’s Day treat. ”

Paul McGann at a previous Slapstick Gala. Pic: David Betteridge
The only detail yet to be announced is the identity of the gala’s celebrity host, who has some pretty big shoes to fill after Hugh Bonneville took charge back in February. Bristol 24/7 understands that several major names have been approached and an announcement should be made soon.

Günter A. Buchwald conducts at the 2024 Slapstick Gala in the Bristol Beacon. Pic: David Betteridge
Gala tickets are on sale from 10am on Thursday 12 September, via the Bristol Beacon box office, priced from £15 to £39.95 (excluding fees), with 10% discounts available for bookings made before 10 October. The Slapstick Festival takes place from 12-16 February 2025. The full programme is due to be announced in mid October.
All images supplied by Slapstick