The Barony Players

Community theatre in Bo'ness

The Man Who Laughs | HIPPFEST Community Screening

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18th March 2023 at 7:30pm

A thrilling, historical melodrama, packed with political intrigue, romance and a host of sensational characters coming to the Barony Theatre, Bo’ness as part of the HIPPFEST silent film festival.

Conrad Veidt stars as Gwynplaine, who was scarred with a ‘permanent smile’ at the cruel command of King James II – a punishment literally carved onto the boy’s face by the royal surgeon, so that he “may always laugh at his father’s foolishness”. Ostracised, Gwynplaine befriends Dea, a blind girl who is not aware of his scarred features.  But the contented lives of the happy pair are threatened by the unexpected appearance of a face from Gwynplaine’s past

The distinctive ‘look’ of Gwynplaine is cited as a major influence for the American comic book writer, animator and artist, Bob Kane, when he created the visual aesthetics of Batman’s grinning nemesis: the Joker.  Veidt’s extraordinary performance, and the film overall however, deserve to be celebrated for far more than this.  The gripping story is propelled by director Paul Leni’s masterful visual style, rewarding us with excitement, pathos plus a triumphant star-turn by Zimbo the dog!

Book by visiting: www.hippodromecinema.co.uk/silent-film-festival

Dir. Paul Leni | US | 1928 | PG | 1h 50m

With: Conrad Veidt, Mary Philbin, Brandon Hurst, Cesare Gravina and Olga Baclanova

Performing live: Mike Nolan (piano)

Screening material courtesy of Park Circus/Universal

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The Lost King; Meet The Real King Finder

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Saturday 25th Feb @ 2pm.

In 2012, Philippa Langley led the team that successfully found the remains of King Richard III. In 2022, a film was made, dramatising the events. Now, you have the chance to see them both, at a special screening of The Lost King, followed by a Q&A and book signing with the Real King Finder, Philippa Langley herself. Only at the Barony Theatre

Hippodrome Silent Film Festival @ The Barony – Hound of the Baskervilles

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The Barony Theatre is honoured to once again be hosting the Hippodrome Silent Film Festival 2019 in their first film showing, The Hound of The Baskervilles.

With an introduction from Barry Young, The Scotland Yard Jack-in-Office of the Sherlock Holmes Society of Scotland.

Plus a short live performance of scenes from Ken Ludwig’s murderously funny Holmes-inspired play The Game’s Afoot presented by our hosts the Barony Players.

The world’s most popular detective brought thrillingly to life in this most famous of all Conan Doyle’s stories, now restored and given its UK premiere at HippFest. An atmosphere of Saturday matinee entertainment runs throughout, with secret passages, spooky suits of armour, and a dastardly villain creeping about the shadowy ancestral Baskerville home and foggy moors. This, the last Sherlock Holmes film of the silent era, has itself been the subject of mystery and intrigue, the nitrate original being stored (some say hidden) in a Polish priest’s basement for decades.

In this enjoyable incarnation Holmes bears some of the hallmarks we have come to expect: arrogance, a deerstalker hat and a disdainful but fond relationship with his Watson.

Dir. Richard Oswald | Germany | 1929 | N/C PG | b&w | English intertitles | 1h 5m (+ short accompanied by Stephen Gellatly + Barony Players short performance). With: Carlyle Blackwell, George Saroff, Fritz Rasp

Performing live: Mike Nolan (piano)

Restoration and screening material courtesy of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival & the Filmoteka Narodowa – Instytut Audiowizualny.

Tickets £10 / £8 – Booking online here

Hippfest Silent Film Festival 2018 – Community Screening @ The Barony

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We are delighted that the Barony Theatre is hosting a community screening again this year as part of the Hippfest silent movie festival this year. This was a fantastic and memorable event last year – book your tickets in advance as it’s sure to be a popular evening.
 
HippFest Community Screening 
Grass: A Nation’s Battle for Life
 
Saturday 17 March 2018 | 19:30 | £9.75 | £7.75 conc
VENUE: Barony Theatre, Borrowstoun Road, Bo’ness EH51 9RS
 
First feature by the dynamic directing duo behind King Kong. Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack tell the jaw-dropping story of a tribe of nomads in Iran known as the Bakhtiari and their epic trek with half-a-million animals across impossible terrain to reach summer pasture. A spectacular ethnographic record, this film was intended for the lecture circuit but was snapped up by Paramount for theatrical distribution on the strength of its powerful dramatic punch.  It’s easy to see how the character of Denham in King Kong was modelled after the adventurer Cooper, whose daredevil real-life exploits were the stuff of Hollywood adventure films. 
 
Dir. Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack | US | 1925 | U | 1h 10m + short
 
Performing live: Mike Nolan | Screening material courtesy of Milestone Films
 
HippFest is organised by Falkirk Community Trust with key funding from Falkirk Council, and support from the BFI Audience Fund Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund and VisitFalkirk.
 
More HippFest silent screenings and events are taking place at the Hippodrome and various venues in Bo’ness from Wed 21 to Sun 25 March 2018. www.hippfest.co.uk 

 

Barony Film Society 2017/2018 season latest films …

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The Barony Film Society continues its 2017/2018 season with three more fantastic films.

February 9th – MY COUSIN RACHEL 

UK, 2017, Cert 12A, 106mins

Directed by Roger MichellWith   Rachel Weisz

A young Englishman plots revenge against his late cousin’s mysterious, beautiful wife, believing her responsible for his death. But his feelings become complicated as he finds himself falling under the beguiling spell of her charms.

 

February 23rd – THE OLIVE TREESpain, 2016, Cert 15, 100 mins

Directed by  Icair Bollain
With – Anna Castillo

A girl, her uncle and a friend start an emotional travel to recover a family tree. 

 

March 9th – THE LADYKILLERS
UK, 1955, Cert U, 91 mins

Directed by Alexander Mackendrick
With – Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers and Cecil Parker

Five diverse oddball criminal types planning bank robbery rent rooms on a cul-de-sac from an octogenarian widow under the pretext that they are classical musicians.

The full year’s programme and more details on how you can join the Film Society or who to contact if you just want to come along to see the occasional film can be found on the Barony Film Society page on our website or call 01506 823142. 

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