Star of The Simpsons Harry Shearer is among several other comedy stars to join the Slapstick Festival 2023 line up. The festival has announced its full programme of comedians for next year's event, which will combine comedy and music across six days in February.
The actor - who is known for providing the voice for Moe the bartender, Mr Burns, Mr Smithers, Ned Flanders among many others - will appear via video link to reminisce about his role as Derek Smalls before introducing This Is Spinal Tap. Other legends of comedy include Sir Michael Palin who will be quizzed by Bristol's own Stephen Merchant on the making of the Python film that sparked international controversy - and hilarity - ahead of a big screen showing of Life Of Brian.
In all, Slapstick 2023 will present 32 events funded by Aardman Animations and BFI at venues across Bristol and host live appearances by Rob Brydon, Graeme Garden, Harry Hill, Robin Ince, Stephen Mangan, Nigel Planer, Lucy Porter and all three members of The Scaffold, among many others. There will also be live music accompanying the festival’s traditional package of rare, rediscovered and re-issued silent comedies, including films featuring Charley Bowers, Marlene Dietrich, Raymond Griffith, Buster Keaton, Harry Langdon, Laurel & Hardy and Harold Lloyd.
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From February will showcase other marriages of music and comedy - taking in historic footage of music hall acts, family friendly musicals, Pythonalia, Beatles hits and parodies and cult classic spoof rockumentaries. Mike McCartney, brother of Si Paul, will introduce the newly-remastered hits-filled Beatles film he first saw at its premiere in 1964, A Hard Day's Night.
Comic Strip Presents and The Young Ones star Nigel Planer will also introduce the film in which he, Ade Edmondson, Rik Mayall and fellow guest Peter Richardson reprised their roles as would-be rock gods More Bad News.
Harry Hill will join all three members of the satirical performance trio, The Scaffold, for a look back at their run of 1960s hits and collaborations with other music stars. There will be special salutes to guest curator Sir Michael Palin who celebrates his 80th birthday next May.
Slapstick’s director Chris Daniels said: “Music has been a key ingredient of every Slapstick since the festival first began way back in 2005 but for our 19th annual edition we’re giving it extra special attention, showcasing the many and varied ways in which more than a century’s worth of entertainers have mixed excellent music with joyous comedy.“
To underscore the variety of music-rich events on offer, the festival’s main branding will pay homage to the Beatle’s Sgt Pepper album cover, replacing the celebrities depicted by Peter Blake and Jann Haworth with notables from past and future Slapsticks.
Full details of the Slapstick 2023 programme and booking options will be available from 10am on Tuesday, November 29 on the festival’s website. The Bristol-based festival that Europe's biggest celebration of slapstick comedy is introducing a new strand for its 19th annual edition from February 14 to 19, 2023.
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