Over the past five years, I've taken great pride and pleasure in presenting the best silent comedies with live musical accompaniment at the Colston Hall as part of the Bristol Silents Slapstick Festival.
Every January, I came to Bristol to host the Gala night featuring some of the best films of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy. Every year we attracted a large and enthusiastic audience; over a thousand people every single Gala night. The applause at the end of the evening was always deafening. A lion's share of the credit must go to the Prima Vista Orchestra, a highly talented group of musicians who readily brought the films to life with their sensitive and vital musical settings.
Prima Vista are: Neil Brand – Piano,
Gunther Buchwald – Violin,
Romano Todesco – Bass,
Frank Bockius – Drums,
Dennis Biason – Guitar
The continued loyalty of the Bristol audience was very special to me and was matched by my loyalty to them. At the end of every exceptional Gala evening, I've stood on the stage and promised to return with more delights the following year. I'm proud that my name has played such a large part in building up the Slapstick Festival's reputation. I have programmed many events and have been happy to do the lions share of publicity.
So you could have knocked me down with a custard pie last August when Chris Daniels, the self appointed Director of Bristol Silents, emailed my agent to say he was dropping my Gala Night because he believed that we would struggle to sell tickets!!
