Charlie Chaplin and his co-star in the 1921 silent comedy-drama, The Ki
Go West for comedy in Bristol
4 Bringing welcome cheer during cold January days when sleet drifts across the Severn Estuary, Bristol’s annual Slapstick Festival gets underway this month, featuring silent-comedy screenings with hosted introductions in venues across the town. Top billing goes to Bristol-born Stephen Merchant who hits the play button on some of his favourite comedy moments, as well as a screening of The Awful Truth starring Cary Grant, who, in spite of talking like he hailed from Beverly Hills, was raised on a street between the Bristol Rovers’ stadium and a branch of Tesco. Comedy nobility like Keaton, Chaplin and others also make an appearance, falling over and walking into inanimate objects to the accompaniment of piano music.
MAKE IT HAPPEN
Slapstick Festival runs 20–25 January at four venues across the city, including Arnolfni and Colston Hall (tickets from £5; slapstick.org.uk).