Pack a picnic and pull up a deck chair – and catch these hilarious silent-cinema Buster Keaton classics on the Big Screen.

With uproarious scores performed live by gypsy-bluegrass ensemble Blue Grassy Knoll, this special outdoor screening will delight fans of silent cinema – and newcomers to the form – alike.

Over their 30 year career Blue Grassy Knoll have cemented their place as one of Australia’s best-loved, accomplished and enduring performance troupes. Their unique live filmscore accompaniment to silent movies has taken them to festivals on all 5 continents, with performances from Broadway to Brazil, Beijing to London and beyond. 

Two Buster Keaton comedy classics, Sherlock JR and One Week, with gypsy-bluegrass score by the legends of the live silent film experience, Blue Grassy Knoll. 

In recreating the silent movie experience the band commit the music to memory, using the film itself for their cues – a truly amazing experience to witness. Their charismatic presentation and amazing musicianship draws the audience into the show, bringing Buster’s classic movies to life as never before, and creating a dazzling, “natural” multi-media experience.

Blue Grassy Knoll began in the mid 90’s as a barnstorming punk gypsy-bluegrass band based in Melbourne’s inner north. Wielding banjo, fiddle, accordion, mandolin, guitar and double bass, they quickly built a reputation as high energy performers unfettered by musical genres or the traditions their name implied. They have reformed a dozen times this century to continue writing and performing silent Buster Keaton movies, but this will be their first (and possibly only) gig as a band, returning to the fabled Punter’s Club, where they launched their only band CD Thomas Murphy’s Stag Party in 1999. Their hair may have thinned, their eyesight dimmed, but the chemistry between these old mates has never waned. Come see this inner-Melbourne cult band attempt to resurrect and then trash their own reputation in the one night.

Saturday 1st March, 4PM The Punter’s Club, 376 Brunswick St, Fitzroy FREE

More info here

Blue Grassy Knoll and Buster Keaton 
@ Theatre Royale

THREE Buster Keaton comedy classics, Cops, One Week and Sherlock JR with gypsy-bluegrass score by the legends of the live silent film experience, Blue Grassy Knoll. 

Sherlock JR – (45m) One of Keaton’s funniest and most assured films. Buster is a cinema projectionist framed for theft by a jealous rival for his girl’s hand. It is both fast moving and surreal with Keaton becoming an imaginary detective in his dreams. Blue Grassy Knoll wrote this score in 1997 for the Melbourne International Film Festival and has performed around the world to rave reviews. 

Cops – (18m) Through a series of mistaken identities Buster winds up with a load of furniture in the middle of parade of policemen. An anarchist’s bomb lands in his carriage. After lighting his cigarette with it, he tosses it into the ranks of police. When it explodes the police chase him all over town.

One Week – (18m) In the opening scene, we find Buster and co-star Sybil Seely exiting a chapel as newly-weds. Among the gifts is a portable house that can be put together in one week. It doesn’t help when Buster’s jealous rival for his wife’s hand switches the number on the crates containing the kit house, with disastrous effects. This classic Keaton short was the first made by his own studio in 1921.Blue Grassy Knoll wrote this score in 2002 and have performed it around the world, and at 2011 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.


Sunday 2nd March 2.30pm Theatre Royale in Castlemaine 
More info and tickets  here

THREE Buster Keaton comedy classics, Cops, One Week and Sherlock JR with gypsy-bluegrass score by the legends of the live silent film experience, Blue Grassy Knoll. 

Sherlock JR – (45m) One of Keaton’s funniest and most assured films. Buster is a cinema projectionist framed for theft by a jealous rival for his girl’s hand. It is both fast moving and surreal with Keaton becoming an imaginary detective in his dreams. Blue Grassy Knoll wrote this score in 1997 for the Melbourne International Film Festival and has performed around the world to rave reviews. 

Cops – (18m) Through a series of mistaken identities Buster winds up with a load of furniture in the middle of parade of policemen. An anarchist’s bomb lands in his carriage. After lighting his cigarette with it, he tosses it into the ranks of police. When it explodes the police chase him all over town.

One Week – (18m) In the opening scene, we find Buster and co-star Sybil Seely exiting a chapel as newly-weds. Among the gifts is a portable house that can be put together in one week. It doesn’t help when Buster’s jealous rival for his wife’s hand switches the number on the crates containing the kit house, with disastrous effects. This classic Keaton short was the first made by his own studio in 1921.Blue Grassy Knoll wrote this score in 2002 and have performed it around the world, and at 2011 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.


Thursday 6th March 7.30pm Street Theatre.
More info and tickets  here