The Kennington Bioscope (KB) is a silent film exhibition and live music event group, founded in September 2013, as a regular fundraising venture for their home venue, London’s Cinema Museum, located at The Master’s House, Kennington, part of the workhouse which once gave shelter to Charlie Chaplin, his brother, and their mother. The Bioscope committee is made up of noted film historians and collectors, highly skilled silent film accompanists, and silent film enthusiasts. The group has enjoyed a long and fruitful association with Kevin Brownlow, screening films from his collection along with archive prints from the BFI and others, taking great delight in bringing lesser-known silent films to highly appreciative audiences. Our presentations are complemented by top-notch accompaniment and well-researched introductions. In addition to presenting frequent evenings of silent film, with a variety of players, the group have mounted multiple one- and two-day annual festivals of silent comedy and mixed silent film, and themed events, such as an entire day of silent films featuring railways, and another featuring silent westerns. Alice Guy Blaché’s Two Little Rangers (1912), starring Guy protégée Vinnie Burns, was featured in the latter. 

Bioscope member Michelle Facey, also a member of the Women Film Pioneers Project, programs and presents regularly for KB with a special focus on overlooked silent women pioneers. Her research and programming interests include Marie Pagano, a stuntwoman and actress who Michelle discussed in a paper presented at the WSS10/Eye Filmmuseum International Conference 2019, “Sisters.” 

In addition to film programs, the Bioscope’s other activities include facilitating the launch of the book publication Silent Women: Pioneers of Cinema (2016), in conjunction with a selection of films. With live events canceled in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Bioscope sprang into action online and have been broadcasting silent films, with original live and pre-recorded accompaniment and live introductions, since April 2020. Many episodes are now available to watch for free on the KB YouTube channel, thanks to archival material shared courtesy of Eye Filmmuseum, Jean Desmet Collection, BFI, LOC, and numerous collectors. 

Committee members of the Kennington Bioscope: Bob Geoghegan, Tony Fletcher, Glenn Mitchell, David Wyatt, Amran Vance, David Locke, Tod Higginson, John Sweeney, Cyrus Gabrysch, Lillian Henley, Michelle Facey, and Meg Morley. Associate members: David Robinson, Davis Glass, Christopher Bird, and Matthew Ross. Honorary member and Patron: Kevin Brownlow.