The Kennington Bioscope is a regular cinema event featuring live accompaniment to silent films that takes place at the Cinema Museum.

The main feature is So’s Yor Old Man (1926), directed by Gregory La Cava and starring W.C.Fields.

In one of Field’s best silent films, he plays Samuel Bisbee, a glazier whose financial failure is driving his wife mad, and spoiling his daughter’s matrimonial hopes. When his attempts to launch his latest invention – unbreakable glass – go hilariously awry, he plans suicide on the train journey home. Instead, he rescues a young woman (Alice Joyce), who he believes is also trying to end it all, but who is in fact a European princess.

Also showing is East Lynne (1915), one of a number of silent versions of the sensationalist novel by Ellen Wood. It was produced by the Biograph Company in the USA, directed by Travers Vale, and stars his wife, Louise Vale, as well as Franklin Ritchie, Alan Hale and Gretchen Hartman.

Alan Hale had a busy career in silent films, before becoming one of Hollywood’s most well-known character actors, often supporting Errol Flynn. This is an amber 16mm print from the Cinema Museum collection, and as far as we are aware, this film has not been shown publicly in Britain.

Anyone interested in silent film should visit the website for more info.

Tickets & Pricing

£3 (£2 of which goes to the Cinema Museum). Seats are limited, so please request an invitation using the email kenbioscope@gmail.com.