Piccadilly
“Truly an unexpected and delightful surprise.
By the evening’s end, I felt I had experienced a classic silent film in the way its very first audiences had done, almost a hundred years ago.
Your skilful musical backing of the movie enhanced the experience beautifully! It never grabbed the attention away from the film.”
Audience members from Maryport Settlement 29/6/2023
Young audience members from the show in Curzon Cinema, Clevedon – 12/11/2023
It was a thrilling movie with fantastic music and unexpected twists. I really enjoyed watching it! It is really interesting to see what life was like in the 1920s and how show business worked. The music fitted the film perfectly and really helped to build suspense and make it exciting. I would really recommend!
Esther Abrahams (13 years)
Piccadilly was great! I loved the plot, especially the comedic bits and the ending, The music was really inspiring: I liked the variety of instruments and how they told the story.
Jonah Morgan-Tait (13 years)
Quotes from Buxton Festival Fringe 2024 official film reviewer, Zoe Worth
“… in this jazz bar, the music was behind you, blending beautifully and fluidly into the film, allowing you to slow down with it.
The film itself was Dupont’s sublime, and visionary, ‘Piccadilly’ that played with a carousel of colours and frames to create an utterly mesmerising piece.
…each scene was mirrored by the masterful Brief Encounter Duo. The music had this hypnotic element to it where it seemed to heighten the characters’ emotions’
…leaving an undeniably dazzling impression on the audience
A love letter to a passed art, The Brief Encounter Duo revive the lost paradise of silent cinema and we share their fondness for it completely. I urge you to experience this little treasure for yourself.”
Blackmail
From Buxton Festival Fringe 2025 official film reviewer, April Irwin
HITCHCOCK’S SILENT FILM BLACKMAIL WITH LIVE MUSIC
“The genius of this show is that the performers have taken contemporary scores from the time this film was released and extemporised their own score to fit with the action on screen..”
“One notable standout is an identity parade scene shown with ‘ten green bottles’ played alongside it but you have to go to the show to experience what I’m trying to describe.
The film and music combine to showcase the best of both. Chris and Veronica are accomplished musicians and also great hosts.”
Read the rest of the review below:
Read the rest of the review below:
BLACKMAIL IN EBBERSTON VILLAGE HALL OCTOBER 9TH 2026
A Rare Treat!
Chris and Veronica Perrin have put live music and sound effects to a 1929 classic British silent film.
Chris, as in the old cinema music pit, plays piano to provide an almost constant accompaniment of appropriate music – lots of popular songs of the era with linking passages often hinting at the classical. He also leaves the piano briefly to add effects on sax and clarinet.
Veronica plays melodies and also adds an abundance of sound effects throughout using several different instruments; some regular eg cornet, some less so, eg small xylophone, some a rarity, eg musical saw.
I found the whole event intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable.
Wilson Hepplestone
Ryedale Jazz