Director and ex-Python to attend Bristol celebration

Terry Gilliam is to attend Bristol’s Slapstick festival of vintage comedy next year, where he will receive an award for his contribution to visual comedy.

The former Python will introduce a screening of his cult classic Brazil before a cornerstone event celebrating his career.

Gilliam said today: ‘I’m delighted to be, at long last, honoured as a Slapstick joke’

The 83-year-old will receive the Aardman Slapstick Award for visual comedy at the climax of an event entitled The Dark Comic Genius of Terry Gilliam.

It will chart his his early days contributing animated content to the groundbreaking 1968 TV show Do Not Adjust Your Set, through Python to his Hollywood career that also includes Time Bandits, The Fisher King, 12 Monkeys, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.

A spokesperson for the Slapstick Festival said: ‘As one of cinema’s great visionary talents and an influential contributor to screen comedy, Terry Gilliam is the well-deserved recipient of 2024’s Aardman Slapstick Award for visual comedy.’

His accolade will be the third  to be handed out at the event with Sylvester McCoy getting the Aardman Slapstick Legacy Medal  and Robert Lindsay receiving the comedy legend award.

Both Gilliam’s events will take place at the Old Vic theatre on February 18, and tickets go on sale at 10am on Monday.

For full details of the festival, which runs from February 14 to 18, visit the official website.

Published: 1 Dec 2023