Flying violins! Speed skating ballerinos! Winner of the 2017 Edinburgh Spirit of the Fringe Award, Släpstick is an ode to the timeless comedy of Charlie Chaplin, Marx Brothers, Spike Jones and Laurel & Hardy – with a very modern twist.
Släpstick fly in from the Netherlands with a unique mix of virtuoso live music and energetic physical comedy. With a flair for eccentricity and a hint of melancholy, the five world-class performers have mastered over 100 instruments between them. Släpstick is a perfect blend of dazzling musicianship, lung-bursting physical comedy and heartfelt nostalgia in the true ‘slapstick’ tradition.
“The fun never stops… Stuffed full of charming eccentricities that make the show special… A savoury treat for the festive season – sharply funny, nutty as a fruit cake and utterly engaging.” British Theatre Guide
Släpstick is daft. And that’s [what] I wanted… Incredibly skilled, robust, polished and well funny… It’s a real joy to sit and watch well-practised daft people be daft in an elaborate chain of floppy, choreographed comedy sketches… Come inside, get warm and laugh.” – Exeunt
★★★★★ “Släpstick is just what the doctor ordered this close to Christmas – musical laughs, zany escapism and meticulous clowning… A pleasurable escape from all of the usual seasonal fluff… A complete triumph – scrupulously sharp, all-inclusive and utterly absorbing.” – Upstaged Manchester
★★★★ [This] madcap Dutch clown musical troupe will entertain the whole family with two hours of nonsense and buffoonery should you wish to do something alternative to the usual pantomime and Christmas shows… A wonderfully joyous show… will make you laugh solidly for two hours.” – The Reviews Hub
★★★★ “Full of anarchic amusement… There is no better way to kick-start your Christmas festivities! It is ridiculous fun that the whole family will love.” – The Play’s The Thing
★★★★ “The show is like an episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, absurd, silly and packed full of great physical and visual gags: you’re never sure where it will take you… There quite literally is something for everyone.” – Opening Night
★★★★ “It’s a rare show that mesmerises adults and children alike… Sitting with my six-year-old theatre buddy we clap, laugh and dance all the way through. ‘Bravo!’ he shouts to the stage, copying one of the comics. Bravo indeed.” – Quays Life
★★★★½ “If there is one show you watch this Christmas then let that show be Släpstick… It is not often that I walk out of a theatre wanting to go to the box office and purchase tickets to the same show that I’ve watched. Yet, this is that kind of show.” – Caught in the Act
“Unless your name is Ebenezer Scrooge, just buy a ticket for this show… You won’t be disappointed!” – Reviewer Number 9
“A joyous piece of daftness that should be on everybody’s Christmas ‘to see’ list… Silly, clever, chaotic and slick. But most of all, it is great fun.” – Unrestricted Views
“A high-octane cocktail of live music and physical comedy, which races along at the pace of a Helter-Skelter… Expertly organised chaos.” – Weekend Notes
“An absolutely brilliant night out which will make you laugh and smile all week, and really make you wish you’d taken up playing instruments when you were young.” – The Brick Castle
★★★★★ “Meticulous musical clowning… Not simply multi-talented musicians performing a range of instruments, but also knock-about clowns, in a similar vein to Laurel and Hardy, Chaplin and Harold Lloyd. The show is fresh, fast-paced and family friendly.” – The Stage
★★★★★ “The perfect blend of virtuosic musicianship, nostalgic sentiment, and lung-bursting physical comedy in the true slapstick tradition!” – The List
★★★★ “Deserves to find a wide audience… Children, in particular, will love them.” – The Scotsman
★★★★ “A cavalcade of daftness that is superbly orchestrated and never misses a trick.” – The Herald
Celebrating 250 years of circus in 2018
Listen to what audiences have been saying about Släpstick:
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