Slapstick festival goes global as it moves to March 2021

Slapstick is generally associated with banana skins. But when life dishes out citrus fruits instead . . . well, you know the rest. In common with most film festivals, Bristol’s world-renowned celebration of silent, classic and screen comedy is shifting online for next year’s 17th annual edition. It’s also slipping back a couple of months to run from March 1-7.

Germany’s self-styled ‘UK Ambassador of Comedy’ Henning Wehn will introduce his favourite silent comedy moments at the 2021 festival

But Slapstick is also taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by staging a virtual festival accessible to audiences around the world. The line-up for 2021 includes more international guests than ever before. These include the granddaughters of comedy legends W.C. Fields and Harold Lloyd, who’ll be sharing their memories.

Having weathered a Covid-19 budget crisis thanks to supporters’ generosity in a target-busting crowdfunding campaign – plus grants from the BFI, Bristol City Council and European Regional development Fund – the festival is now planning more than 20 live-streamed events.

Josephine Baker in 1927’s Siren of the Tropics – the first major feature to star a black woman. Screening at Slapstick 2021.

“We’re looking forward to returning soon to staging live events in venues, but for now moving online is the safest, most reliable and cost-effective way to mount a joyously varied programme,” says festival director Chris Daniels. “There are other advantages, too. For instance, we can involve overseas speakers and celebrities whose location or packed diaries would make a trip to Bristol very difficult and we can build on the international connections made during our crowdfunding campaign by opening up the festival to comedy fans worldwide.”

The full programme will be revealed in January. Highlights already announced include Germany’s self-styled ‘UK Ambassador of Comedy’ Henning Wehn introducing his favourite silent comedy moments, rare French silent film Siren of the Tropics starring black American toast-of-Paris entertainer Josephine Baker, Lucy Porter celebrating the comedy work of Clara Bow and Constance Talmadge, live accompaniment to newly-found or restored silents by Dutch pianist Daan van den Hurk, and a tour of celluloid music hall with the US-based film history experts Steve Massa and Ben Model. There will also be comedy conversations with Rob Brydon, Bernie Clifton, Graeme Garden, Robin Ince and Stewart Lee.

Roaring twenties It Girl Clara Bow in 1929’s Dangerous Curves. Her comedy work will be celebrated by Lucy Porter at Slapstick 2021.

Discounted passes giving access to every event, either live or on catch-up, are available now from the Slapstick website, price £39 (£20 for under-24s). Tickets for individual events will go on sale when the full programme is announced. And if you’re missing your annual January dose of mirth, selected highlights from the Slapstick archives – including events starring John Cleese, French and Saunders, The Goodies, Little and Large and Tim Vine – can be viewed on the festival’s YouTube channel.

All images supplied by Slapstick.