Comedy / slapstick festival
2026 Slapstick Festival features Laurel & Hardy, Armando Iannucci, Alexei Sayle and South Park
Championing on-screen comedy in all its forms, Slapstick Festival is back on February 4 for a busy five-day programme of events, talks and screenings.
Featuring a host of comedy titans and special guests, more than 30 separate events will be taking place at venues including Watershed, St George’s, Bristol Beacon and Bristol Megascreen at the Aquarium.
Amongst the highlights will be Harry Hill selecting his Desert Island Laurel & Hardy – The Shorts, an Alexei Sayle retrospective with Robin Ince, a 25th anniversary screening of South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, and for all the family – Andy Day’s Brass Comedy Film Show.
Slapstick favourite Lucy Porter will be introducing a curated programme of shorts starring Louise Fazenda, with a live piano accompaniment from Daan van den Hurk.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
And there will also be a series of special events featuring Armando Iannucci, exploring his enduring relationship with political comedy.
For many returning fans, Slapstick’s jewel in the crown is the Silent Comedy Gala, which this year will be hosted by actor and author, Stephen Mangan, with special guest Rick Wakeman.
It will feature Buster Keaton’s first full-length film, The Kid (1921), soundtracked by a live score from the Bristol Ensemble, followed by two shorts: The Boat (1921), again starring Keaton, and Stan and Ollie in Leave ‘Em Laughing (1928).
The lineup for the 2026 Slapstick Silent Comedy Gala
The evening will conclude in the foyer with a performance from the Jack Calloway Jazz & Dance Band, accompanied by surprise guests and more music from Sing Out Bristol, the South West’s largest LGBTQIA+ choir.
“Each year our Silent Comedy Gala reminds us why these films and the artistry behind them still move and delight audiences a century on”, says Slapstick director Chris Daniels.
“Bringing them to life with live music and the infectious energy of a packed Bristol Beacon is always unforgettable… (it’s) an evening celebrating Chaplin, Keaton, and the timeless power of laughter on the big screen.”
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Slapstick Festival 2026 is on February 4-8. For full programme information, individual show tickets and festival passes, visit www.slapstick.org.uk.
All photos: Slapstick Festival
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