One of last century’s most popular TV double acts – Little and Large - will be back on stage together for the first time in decades in Bristol in January as part of the extended 15th annual edition of the UK’s biggest celebration of silent and classic screen comedy: SLAPSTICK.
At the peak of its 13 year run in the 70s and 80s, BBC1’s Little and Large sketch show, starring Syd Little and Eddie Large, commanded audiences of up to 15 million a week but the partnership ended when Eddie (real name Eddie McGinnis) developed a life-threatening heart condition.
On Friday 19 January, however, the duo will reunite at the Bristol Old Vic for An Audience With Little and Large: A Larger Than Life Story – one of the 32 events lined up for Slapstick 2019, running from January 16 to 20 at venues across the city centre and concluding with a silent comedy gala, hosted by Marcus Brigstocke and a special children’s show on Sunday 10 February.
Other walk-down-memory-lane highlights in the Slapstick 2019 programme now unveiled include:
Stand-up, journalist and podcaster Richard Herring curating a strand which will find him quizzing Tim Vine about his comedy favourites; rummaging with The Goodies through the brand new DVD box set of all the trio’s TV episodes and looking back at The Inbetweeners with its writers, Damon Beesley and Iain Thomas and actor Joe Thomas (Simon).
A screening of the Harold Lloyd classic, For Heaven’s Sake, with live music at Bristol Cathedral, as a follow-up to a debate involving stand-ups Robin Ince and Lucy Porter, among others, on whether making a joke justifies the mocking of a religion.
Family-friendly stand-up from the welly-wearing 1980s comedy icon Jimmy (And there’s more…) Cricket plus a chance to go behind-the-scenes of Dad’s Army with the show’s Vicar, actor Frank Williams and his hitherto largely unscreened home movie footage.
More events than ever for younger audiences, including Meet Charlie! with Chaplin’s biographer David Robinson; a tour of early comedy animations with Aardman’s Peter Lord, and children’s TV star Andy Day mixing his trademark foolery and rapping with screenings of his favourite silent cinema funnies.
Screenings with live music of scores of favourite, rare, forgotten, newly found &/or newly restored slapstick silent – many starring familiar names but also featuring introductions by Sally Phillips and Lucy Porter, among others, to overlooked others, including Alice Howell, a comedic Louise Brooks, Mary Pickford, Will Rogers and a mystery Frenchwoman.
Festival Director Chris Daniels says: “As befits our 15th anniversary, this is our biggest Slapstick to date – a true celebration of silent, visual and classic comedy, featuring an impressive array of top comedy talent from many different decades, from the earliest days of cinema to current day favourites and with welcome contributions from some irrepressible veterans including festival stalwart Barry Cryer. A sure way to beat the winter blues. Don’t miss!”
Tickets for all Slapstick 2019 events are on sale now. For full details of the Slapstick 2019 line-up, including ticket prices and booking arrangements here.
Slapstick is a not-for-profit venture heavily reliant on fee-free appearances by guests, sponsorship in kind from many local businesses and the help of volunteers. The festival’s principal funders are Aardman Animations and the British Film Institute.
