Happy Birthday to hilarious comedian and Slapstick patron Marcus Brigstocke 🎂 A throwback to 10 years ago helping us promote the festival for ITV, sporting a glorious moustache sat upon a 💀 throne. #marcusbrigstocke #comedian #birthday #slapstickfestival #patron

Happy Birthday to national treasure and Slapstick Festival patron, Sir #MichaelPalin! Photos from our #TerryJones celebration at The Hexagon Reading last year, where Michael joined comedy legend (and also one of our patrons!) #SanjeevBhaskar in conversation. 📸 David Betteridge

A big Happy 90th Birthday to national treasure and festival patron Bernie Clifton! It's the perfect time to revisit his conversation with @robinince.bsky.social in 2021 on our YouTube channel - No Ostrich Required - link below. #bernieclifton #slapstickfestival #robinince #britishcomedy #comedy

More photos from last week's sold-out Big Comedy Bash at The Hexagon Reading ℅ David Betteridge 📸 Thanks again to the venue, the audience and the performers #RiaLina, #HarryEnfield, @rorybremner.bsky.social, special guest #JasperCarrott and host #joelycett.

📢 Calling UK-based film curators! Park Circus is teaming up once again with Cinema Rediscovered to invite you to pitch a 4-5 repertory film season idea curated from their catalogue for 2027. Submit your proposal(s) via the link in our bio by Monday 25 May 2026, midnight BST.

An incredible sold-out show with this amazing lineup for our Big Comedy Bash at The Hexagon Reading last night! Thank you to the venue, the audience and the performers Ria Lina, Harry Enfield, Rory Bremner, special guest Jasper Carrott and host Joe Lycett. 📸 David Betteridge Photography

Less than 20 tickets remaining for tomorrow's event 🎉 Join us whatsonreading.com/venues/hexag...

Born on this day, 20th April 1893, we celebrate Slapstick Comedy legend and cheer Hooray for Harold Lloyd 🎊 Probably the only thing he loved more than a pratfall are some of his best friends throughout the years 🐶 #haroldlloyd #slapstickcomedy #dogphotos #blackandwhite #silentfilm

Very excited for the Terry Jones statue unveiling in Colwyn Bay next week! A Python on the Prom is such a fitting tribute for the comedy legend, come along in your best Terry fancy dress and show your support. #apythonontheprom #montypython #terryjones #colwynbay #statue

One week to go til The Big Comedy Bash 2026 at The Hexagon, Reading @rdgwhatson.bsky.social ! Last remaining tickets on Wed 22 April 19:30 for a star-studded line-up of #RiaLina, #HarryEnfield and #RoryBremner, with special guest #JasperCarrott and hosted by #JoeLycett.

On this day, 12 April, we pay tribute to dear friend and Slapstick patron Tim Brooke-Taylor who passed away in 2020. Pictured with Bristol great @stephenmerchant.bsky.social, it was an honour to celebrate The Goodies' 50th anniversary with Tim, Bill Oddie and Graeme Garden. 📸 David Betteridge

I was there, and Ryland and co put on one hell of a show for us all. He even signed my Hundreds of Beavers Blu-ray. Also I finally see a picture of a Megascreen audience that manages to get me in it! 😆

Happy International Beaver Day 🦫 Throwback to our 20th anniversary festival where we filled Bristol Megascreen with Hundreds of Beavers - hope Ryland, Jess and co come back to Bristol soon! #internationalbeaverday #hundredsofbeavers #bristol #slapstickfestival #slapstickcomedy

Happy Birthday to our favourite impressionist, @rorybremner.bsky.social! A long-term #Slapstick supporter, pictured here with Roy Hudd and patron Graeme Garden in 2017, Rory is helping us raise funds at the Big Comedy Bash 2026 at The Hexagon, Reading on Wed 22 April - tickets below 👇

44 years ago today TISWAS ended. I had the opportunity to host TISWAS Reunited for @slapstickfest.bsky.social a few years ago. What a terrific evening. I met Spit the Dog, hugged Sally James. And I got flanned by the Phantom Flan Flinger who was later unmasked.

This is no April Fools, there's less than 10% of tickets left for the Big Comedy Bash 2026 at The Hexagon, Reading in 3 weeks! Join us for a star-studded line-up featuring Ria Lina, Harry Enfield, Rory Bremner and special guest Jasper Carrott, hosted by Joe Lycett.

One month to go! Have you got your tickets? #Fantasy #Bristol #Highlander #80sFantasy #Wuxia #RayHarryhausen

Born on this day, 23rd, we celebrate comedy legend and beloved #SlapstickFest patron Barry Cryer! We're excited to continue his legacy collaborating with @bobbicee.bsky.social on The Golden Baz, awarded to writer @aiannucci.bsky.social for his commitment to the craft of comedy.

It's a month until we return to The Hexagon, Reading, for the Big Comedy Bash 2026! We're excited to welcome #JoeLycett as host for the evening, MCing for a star-studded lineup of #RiaLina, #HarryEnfield, #RoryBremner and #JasperCarrott. Tickets are selling fast; book below to get involved 👇

Happy Birthday to Brummie comedy legend #JasperCarrott! We're excited to welcome the British Comedy Awards’ Lifetime Achievement winner as a special guest for our Big Comedy Bash at #TheHexagon, Reading, on Wednesday 22 April 19:30 - link below for tickets 👇

“Fab, gear & all the other pimply hyperboles.” Tickets for Apr 8 BFI Beatles film screening & my A Hard Day’s Night book signing now on sale. As Ringo says, You can learn from books.📕 whatson.bfi.org.uk/Online/defau...

The Big Comedy Bash now boasts TWO of Birmingham's finest comic talents. Do with that information what you will. (and then buy a ticket)

We're excited to welcome special guest #JasperCarrott to the BIG Comedy Bash 2026! The comedy legend joins us at The Hexagon, Reading @rdgwhatson.bsky.social on Wed 22 April 19:30 in a star-studded line-up of #RiaLina, #HarryEnfield and #RoryBremner, hosted by #JoeLycett - link below for tickets 🎟️

Welcome to a world of gods and monsters... Of swords and sorcery… Of heroes and villains… Prepare for high adventure as Forbidden Worlds celebrates the cinematic world of fantastical myths and legends from around the world! 23-26 April, Bristol Megascreen www.forbiddenworldsfilmfestival.co.uk

We pay tribute to the legendary silent film star #HaroldLloyd, who passed away on this day, 8th March 1971. Alongside #CharlieChaplin The Pilgrim, #SlapstickFest26 featured Lloyd’s For Heaven's Sake at Bristol Megascreen, introduced by comedian @robinince.bsky.social and actor #PaulMcGann.

Inspired by #WorldBookDay, here are some of our reading recommendations from special guests at last month's festival, such as @robinince.bsky.social Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal, and exciting upcoming releases including @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social A Hard Day's Night 📚

Lucy Porter writes a 'rallying cry' for middle-aged women

Slapstick Festival is proud to announce that the 2026 Legacy Medal has been awarded to physical comedian and filmmaker Mulindua Freddie, a passionate contemporary champion of silent screen comedy working in Uganda.

It's BIG And it's BACK

Announcing Slapstick's Big Comedy Bash 2026 🥁 Join us at The Hexagon, Reading, on Wed 22 April 19:30 for a star-studded line-up of #RiaLina, #HarryEnfield and #RoryBremner, hosted by #JoeLycett! With more great names to be added, raise funds for Slapstick Festival by joining us - link below.

I talked about my favourite film festivals on this with shout outs to @cineredis.bsky.social @fwfilmfestival.bsky.social and @slapstickfest.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/5MFL...

We've got something special to announce coming soon! Want to hear about future Slapstick Festival events first, special offers and more? Subscribe to our newsletter via the link in bio or heading to our website. #newsletter #slapstickfestival #fundraisers #comedy #slapstick

On this day, 23rd Feb, we pay tribute to comedy legend Stan Laurel, who passed away in 1965. One half of Slapstick’s iconic double act Laurel and Hardy, our 2026 festival featured multiple events dedicated to their legendary career - We look forward to showing more Stan & Ollie for years to come!

A very Happy Birthday to one of our biggest supporters, @robinince.bsky.social! The comedian hosted an incredible six events at this year's festival, including revisiting STUFF with #AlexeiSayle. Follow his socials to keep updated with his next events 📸 David Betteridge Photography

Thanks @popcornchat.bsky.social & @slapstickfest.bsky.social! This screening of Keaton's lesser-known French sound film LE ROI DES CHAMPS ELYSÉES was a delight, many laughs from a packed cinema at @wshed.bsky.social. Such a pleasure to share it 🤣🍿❤️

Another Buster Keaton feature ticked off Sarah aka PopcornChat’s watchlist 🍿 With thanks to Keaton expert Polly Rose for sharing their knowledge whilst introducing at Slapstick Festival; we can't wait to have them both back next year. #keaton #buster #silentfilm #slapstickcomedy #slapstickfestival

Reasons to volunteer at Slapstick w/ Arwen! Whilst we LOVE Silent Film, it's great to celebrate Slapstick in all forms, as comedian @robinince.bsky.social shares with critic @admagnetic77.bsky.social ahead of our After Dark screening One Cut of the Dead. We hope to see you volunteer next year!

Roaming Reporter Martha Redfern reviews Yasujiro Ozu’s Where Now Are The Dreams of Youth? following its screening at Watershed for Slapstick Festival 2026 - link below to read the full piece.

Slapstick Festival celebrated #ValentinesDay a week early at our 20 Years of #NotGoingOut with #LeeMack event 💘 We hope the now-engaged James and Kerry are having a lovely romantic day, and that @alexlovell.bsky.social was able to give Lee Mack a lift home 🚗 😂 📸 David Betteridge Photography

What a turnout at @bristolbeacon.bsky.social for the Silent Comedy Gala last week! Thank you to our host, @stephenmangan.bsky.social, special guest Rick Wakeman, and live music accompaniment from maestro Guenter A. Buchwald, the Bristol Ensemble, and the European Silent Screen Virtuosi.

Thank you @slapstickfest.bsky.social and @robinince.bsky.social for a fantastic evening + screening of One Cut of the Dead 🧟 The Boomsatsuma student films really made the evening special. All the submissions were excellent 📽️ An honour and a pleasure to be involved 💜

Submissions for our Genre Film-Makers of the Future: Shorts Showcases are still open… however the final deadline is this Friday (13 February)! Move quickly if you're still hoping to submit your short film! filmfreeway.com/fwfilmfestival

Don your shades, unleash the doves and prepare to dive in slow motion as on 27 March, @wshed.bsky.social is hosting a John Woo double bill of @arrowvideo.bsky.social's new restorations of The Killer and Hard Boiled! www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/seas...

We loved partnering with Bristol Film School boomSatsuma to showcase three one-minute, one take horrors at our One Cut of the Dead screening! Thank you to @robinince.bsky.social and @admagnetic77.bsky.social for introducing them, and everyone who participated. See below the films and artists 👇

A BIG thank you to everyone who helped make Slapstick Festival 2026 a huge success! We really appreciate our special guest speakers, musicians, partners, patrons, volunteers, the venues, and all the team behind the scenes who organised these events. 📸 David Betteridge Photography

2026 Watching #33: Laurel and Hardy’s Yorkshire Adventures. Engaging film by Dean Sills and Rebecca Sills which follows the comedy duo around Yorkshire on their 1950s tour. One audience member called it moving. Part of @slapstickfest.bsky.social 2026.

2026 Watching #36: The Kid plus Slapstick gala. Evening at @slapstickfest.bsky.social with one of Chaplin’s best (though I still find him overly sentimental). The gala is always a remarkable evening and we had Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, live music, Rick Wakeman and more.

This was a highly enjoyable way to spend Sunday afternoon, listening to the brilliant Armando Iannucci being interviewed about his work in radio, TV and film:

A big thank you to the @slapstickfest.bsky.social team for a great festival. It was a delight to be part of it and to present two Keaton films - many thanks to musicians John Sweeney 🎹 & Frank Bockius 🥁, BSL Paul Mancini 🧏🏻 and to Buster's granddaughter Melissa Talmadge Cox for joining us!

An honour to have @bobbicee.bsky.social present the inaugural ‘Golden Baz’ award to @aiannucci.bsky.social! A tribute to Patron Barry Cryer, we thank Armando for accepting the award and sharing incredible insights with us and presenters @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social and @andrewkelly.bsky.social.