A white-hatted James Kenyon, half of the Mitchell & Kenyon filmmaking partnership, appears in this lively film showing a warm-up act - a famous comedy routine in which a barber slathers a man's face in soap - designed to entice summer holiday crowds to Sedgwick’s 'Bioscope' (film) show. The act causes much hilarity among the spectators, who are encouraged to parade down the stairs for the camera.

This is one of a fascinating handful of Mitchell & Kenyon's films which offer a glimpse of the filmmakers' showmanship and exhibition strategy. The film was screened up to 20 times a day in August 1901 at Pendlebury Wakes to entertain the poorer children of Salford. The 'wakes week' was an industrial holiday introduced in the 19th century, involving the annual closure of the workplace to allow for maintenance and leisure time for the workers. Fairground showmen responded to the opportunity presented by the holiday crowds by showing the latest novelties - in this case moving pictures. The film was commissioned from Sagar Mitchell and James Kenyon by Sedgwick's Bioscope. The Sedgwicks, a showman family who between them managed a menagerie and at least two cinematograph booths, toured the Lancashire wakes at the turn of the century. The filmmakers' close association with fairground showmen may have begun through Kenyon’s penny-in-the-slot business. The strength of these commissioning relationships with bioscope showmen was crucial to the success of Mitchell & Kenyon's film business.

Source: BFI

Replacement title (0.07). On a stage (possibly a stage of a travelling fairground) men perform a comic routine. Two men are seated on the stage with towels around their necks ready for a shave. The barber soaps up one of the men. He continues to soap up the man until his face is covered in soap. The soaped-up man tries to get away but falls over and causes havoc on the stage. Behind the act are a number of men standing looking at the camera. The audience's heads can be seen in the foreground. The man being soaped up tries to get away (0.54). The audience (?) - mainly children- now congregated on the stage, come down the steps from the stage. They smile and cheer at the camera while pushing and almost falling down the steps (2.20). A sign is held up it that reads "Sedgewick's Exhibitions tonight Living Pictures Passion Play in 16 acts...Lantern Views". To the right of the scenes throughout there is another highly decorated sign that reads "ANIMATED --RC---ALE ----THE-- ( 2.29mins)

Source: BFI

A travelling fairground act? M&K 58,61, and 772 were shot for the Pendlebury Wakes held in Manchester in August 1901. 772 was filmed immediately prior to the openning of the fair. Information taken from "The Lost World of Mitchell and Kenyon: Edwardian Britian on Film"

Source: NFA Catalogue

The first actuality film with an ad to a Passion Play. As the film was commissioned by James Sedgwick, he was able to promote his business at the end to all the people that paid to come and see this film.