Slapstick festival mourns another comedy great

When you run a festival devoted to classic comedy, it’s sad but inevitable that aging stars will fall off their perches every so often. But the last few months have been particularly cruel to Bristol’s internationally renowned Slapstick festival.

At the end of December, semi-detached Python, Bonzo Dog Band co-founder and Slapstick patron Neil Innes died unexpectedly of a heart attack.

The following month, 96-year-old Nicholas Parsons died after a short illness. He was a special guest at the 2008 festival for An Audience with Nicholas Parsons.

In February, we lost Slapstick patron Diana Serra Cary – aka Baby Peggy – at the grand old age of 101. One of the last surviving stars of the silent era, she travelled from her home in America to make her first ever UK appearance at the festival back in 2006.

Roy Hudd, who was a special guest at Slapstick 2017 for a career-spanning In Conversation event, died on March 15 after a short illness.

Eddie Large, who reunited with Syd Little for the first time in decades for Slapstick 2019, died at Southmead Hospital on April 2 after contracting COVID-19 while receiving treatment for heart failure.

Tim Brooke-Taylor (right) with fellow Goodies Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie, plus Bristol’s very own Stephen Merchant at January’s Slapstick festival

Now the Coronavirus has claimed festival regular and former Goodie Tim Brooke-Taylor, who, as all the obituaries reminded us, co-wrote the Four Yorkshiremen sketch popularised by Monty Python and originally performed it on the At Last the 1948 Show. He was in Bristol for several events at January’s fest, including a Goodies reunion. Slapstick Director Chris Daniels posted the following tribute:

It is with deep, deep sadness that my Slapstick colleagues and I have learned of the passing of Tim Brooke-Taylor from COVID -19 related illness last night.

Tim was first and foremost a dear friend, both personally and to the Bristol Slapstick Festival. Tim’s passion, enthusiasm, love for classic comedy and, in particular Buster Keaton, meant that Tim and Slapstick Festival was a perfect pairing, with Tim becoming a Patron for us in 2008. Each year Tim would tell us that Slapstick was his favourite festival and expressed regularly how much he looked forward it. 

As one-third of the legendary comedy team The Goodies and through his work on such shows as I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, Do Not Adjust Your Set, At Last the 1948 Show and more, Tim’s contribution to the history of comedy is notable and significant.

Tim first appeared at Slapstick in 2007 with Graeme Garden and has been a special guest almost every year since – appearing in and hosting countless events over the years. He was with us again in Bristol in January 2020, taking part in no fewer than four events with his usual enthusiasm, passion, charm and energy to the delight of full house audiences.

Everyone involved with Slapstick joins me in sending sincere and heartfelt sympathies to his wife Christine, his family and friends. 

Fortunately, Slapstick still has plenty of surviving regulars and patrons, including quipmeister Barry Cryer, who has famously remarked that at his age he doesn’t even buy green bananas.

All pictures by David Betteridge

Read more: Slapstick Presents: Laughter in Lockdown