Slapstick adds more stars to festival's January 2022 line-up

Veteran comic Barry Cryer, children’s TV favourite Andy Day, satirist Armando Iannucci and the comedians/actors David Mitchell, Sally Phillips and Tim Vine are among the latest celebrities to join the line-up for the 2022 edition of the UK’s biggest festival of silent and classic screen comedy, Slapstick. 

Slapstick 2022 will take place in Bristol from Wednesday 26 to Sunday 30 January and its organisers have already announced Stephen Mangan as the host of its celebrated centre-piece event – a Silent Comedy Gala at Bristol Cathedral on Friday 28 January.

Now bookings are opening for nine other celebrity-led events, with the promise of yet more to follow by mid-November. Highlights of the newly-announced line-up include:

•    BAFTA-winning PEEP SHOW creator, UPSTART CROW star and game show favourite David Mitchell sharing memories/clips with broadcaster Matthew Sweet of his most treasured comedy moments (6pm, Thursday 27 January, Bristol Cathedral);

•    Comedy writers/performers Ronni Ancona and Sally Phillips saluting female stars of the silent comedy era, among them Marion Davies, best known now as a character in the Oscar-winning MANK (8.30pm, Thursday 27 January, Bristol Cathedral).

•    Points West presenter Alex Lovell hosting an audience with national treasure Barry Cryer, taking in anecdotes from his seven-decades spanning career (3.30pm, Saturday 29 January, Redgrave Theatre);

•    Gag-telling record beater Tim Vine paying tribute to Kenny Everett, in the best possible taste (6.30pm, Saturday 29 January, Redgrave Theatre).

•    Armando Iannucci, the creative force behind such influential mockumentaries as THE DAY TODAY, IN THE LOOP, THE THICK OF IT and I’M ALAN PARTRIDGE joins stand-up, broadcaster and author Robin Ince for a talk, with clips, titled My Life In Satire (2.30pm, Sunday 30 January, St George’s Bristol).

Other treats in the mix include CBeebies star Andy Day introducing a family-friendly screening of PADDINGTON;  Richard Herring interviewing a mystery guest and picking his choice of Desert Island Flicks and an evening of laughter with the ever-playful Arthur Smith.

Further information about all of the Slapstick 2022 events confirmed so far, including ticket prices and how to book, can be found at www.slapstick.org.uk. Details about the rest of the January 26 to 30 programme, mostly focused on silent film and taking place at Watershed, are due to be finalised by mid-November. To keep up to date with Slapstick news, sign-up for the free e-bulletins via the website; find Slapstick Festival on Facebook or follow @SlapstickFest on Twitter/ Instagram/ TikTok.

Slapstick is a not-for-profit organisation. The festival’s principal funders are Aardman Animations (www.aardman.com) and the British Film Institute (www.bfi.org.uk).