Bristol Slapstick festival returns for 19th year

Comedian Harry Hill has made a film called The Last Caveman

A festival dedicated to slapstick comedy and silent film has returned to Bristol for its 19th year.

The annual Slapstick Festival, which runs from 14-18 February, includes more than 30 comedy events around the city.

This year's line-up includes Hugh Bonneville, Marcus Brigstocke, Lucy Porter, and Harry Hill among others.

Festival director, Chris Daniels, said it offered "something for everyone who enjoys, or needs, more magic, mischief, and mirth in their lives".

Launched in 2005, the festival features slapstick films from the silent era and comedians whose own work has been influenced by it.

The only large-scale event of its kind in the world, the line-up features Chaplin, Keaton and Laurel and Hardy as well as more contemporary big names.

Downton Abbey actor Hugh Bonneville, who also starred in the Paddington films, is introducing a triple bill of silent comedy classics

Comedian Harry Hill has made a film called The Last Caveman, which will be making its South West premiere on Saturday.

"I'm the caveman and I started filming it in lockdown, when we all had nothing to do," he said.

"I and this cameraman, we'd meet up in a layby near Margate and if we were clear [of Covid] we'd go and film with me dressed as a caveman on the beach there - because there was no one around."

He said it was a "lot of fun" and he decided to turn it into a film.

"It's a weird thing because it's silent but there's lots of noise and lots of music. Lots of sound effects but there's no words spoken," he said.

"It's a 50-minute, fun for all the family."

'Golden era'

On Sunday, Aussie-born Adam Hills - stand up and host of Channel 4's The Last Leg - is sharing the comedy film titles he would most want to have with him if he was ever marooned on a desert island.

"I love slapstick comedy, I love silent comedy, I love the Marx Brothers, I love Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy," he said.

"So I did a charity fundraiser for them [the Slapstick Festival] and the more they told me about the festival, the more I said 'look I'd love to be involved'."

Downton Abbey actor Hugh Bonneville, who also starred in the Paddington films, is introducing a triple bill of silent comedy classics including The Gold Rush (1925), Cops (1922) and Big Business (1929) on Friday.

Other big names include Samira Ahmed, Marcus Brigstocke, Terry Gilliam, Robert Lindsay, Sylvester McCoy, Lucy Porter, Tim Vine and Sir Michael Palin.

Mr Daniels ,said: "This experience is sitting down, witnessing a film on the big screen from the golden era of comedy and then hearing that with live music.

"My passion for that doesn't die, because there's always something new to discover and that's the joy of being the director of the festival because I get a chance to work with people who also are passionate."