Some of the biggest names in British comedy will be coming to Bristol over the next few days for the Slapstick Festival, which opens tonight with two events at the Watershed and Colston Hall. The festival will celebrate some of the very best moments in silent and visual comedy, with a particular emphasis this year on the work of Charlie Chaplin.

The highlight of the festival is the gala evening at the Colston Hall taking place tomorrow, Friday, January 28.

The gala will be a star-studded evening of classic comedy and live entertainment with four classic silent comedy shorts.

The films will be introduced by comedy legends Barry Cryer, Ian Lavender, Neil Innes and Bill Oddie.

Films being shown are Laurel and Hardy’s We Faw Down (1928),  Buster Keaton’s classic short Neighbours (1920), Charlie Chaplin in One AM (1916) and Harold Lloyd in Get Out and Get Under (1920).

The films will be accompanied live by Jazz Train, a 25-piece youth big-band from Saaland, Germany and The European Silent Screen Virtuosi, featuring Guenter Buchwald. Chris Serle will act as master of ceremonies and there will also be special guest vocal performances from Bonzo frontman Neil Innes and actor Paul McGann.

Other events include a free circus performance at the Old Vic on Friday, Barry Cryer in conversation with Rob Brydon at the Old Vic on Saturday, and on Sunday a Shaun the Sheep celebration at the Watershed and Shappi Khorsandi introducing Chaplin’s Nazi satire The Great Dictator (below) at the Old Vic.

For more about the festival and the full programme, visit www.slapstick.org.uk.