About

Experience a unique evening of silent film classics with live improvised organ accompaniment from acclaimed Bristol organist David Bednall at Christ Church in Bath.

David Bednall has a particular interest in musical improvisation and returns to Christ Church for this special event, providing a live soundtrack to a selection of landmark films from the silent era.

Programme

One Week (1920) – 20 minutes
Written, directed by and starring Buster Keaton, One Week follows a newly married couple as they attempt to build their first home from a DIY flat-pack – with predictably chaotic results. The film is packed with spectacular sight gags, physical comedy and impressive practical special effects.

Sherlock Jr. (1924) – 45 minutes
Directed by and starring Buster Keaton, Sherlock Jr. follows a cinema projectionist with ambitions of becoming a private detective. After falling asleep in the projection booth, he dreams that he has become "Sherlock Junior, the great detective". The film also offers a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of a typical small-town cinema in the early 1920s.

Frankenstein (1910) – 12 minutes
Directed by J. Searle Dawley and produced by Edison Studios, this 1910 film was the first screen adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The pioneering short film is particularly notable for its early special effects and use of colour filters.

The evening will also feature David Bednall discussing his approach to improvising live music for silent films, alongside a short talk exploring how organs came to be used in early cinemas.

A bar will be available before the screenings and during the interval.

Free entry to the Museum of Bath at Work

For this evening only, event ticket holders can enjoy free entry to the Museum of Bath at Work from 5pm to 6.30pm before the screening.

Located next to Christ Church, the museum is hosting Lights! Camera! Action!: 120 Years of Cinemas and Films, a special exhibition exploring the history of cinemas and film in Bath. Visitors simply need to show their event ticket to receive free entry.

The Lights! Camera! Action! exhibition continues until 31 October and on weekends throughout November.

The accompanying Lights! Camera! Action! book is available for £12.50 exclusively from the Museum of Bath at Work shop, alongside a selection of cinema-themed gifts.