London Month of the Dead

THE UNKNOWN (1927) An Evening of Silent Horror with Live Music Accompaniment on Friday the 30th October 2026 at 7 pm A circus without laughter, a knife thrower without arms, and a love that descends into obsession and horror. Starring the legendary Lon Chaney in one of the most extraordinary performances of the silent era, The Unknown (1927) is a dark psychological melodrama from the imagination of director Tod Browning, where deception, desire and bodily transformation combine to create one of cinema’s most unsettling masterpieces. Set beneath the canvas of a travelling circus, The Unknown explores identity, performance and the monstrous lengths to which people will go in pursuit of love. Experience this unforgettable silent classic with a live musical accompaniment by renowned pianist Stephen Horne, whose acclaimed improvised score brings fresh intensity and emotion to every twist of Browning’s haunting tale. Tickets £15 including a delightful gin cocktail and a 20% donation to the King's Chaplaincy Trust. Please click here to purchase. Stephen Horne Stephen Horne has long been internationally considered one of the leading silent film accompanists. A house pianist at London’s BFI Southbank for over thirty years, he has played at all the major UK venues and recorded music for scores of films. Although principally a pianist, he often incorporates other instruments into his performances, sometimes simultaneously. He regularly performs internationally and in recent years his accompaniments have met with acclaim at film festivals in Europe, North America and Asia. In 2011 and 2012, he was commissioned to compose ensemble scores for the London Film Festival Archive Galas of 'The First Born' and 'The Manxman'. And every year since 2014, he has won in one or more categories in the annual Silent London poll. Bryony Dixon Bryony Dixon is a curator at the BFI National Archive, specialising in silent film and early cinema. She has led numerous restoration and preservation projects, bringing rare and forgotten films back to life for modern audiences. Bryony is also a published author, speaker, and broadcaster on the subject of film history, with a particular interest in the cultural and social context of early filmmaking. Her expertise has made her a leading figure in the revival of silent cinema, and she frequently collaborates with musicians, academics, and institutions worldwide to present silent films with live accompaniment and historical insight.

THE UNKNOWN (1927)
An Evening of Silent Horror with Live Music Accompaniment
on Friday the 30th October 2026 at 7 pm

A circus without laughter, a knife thrower without arms, and a love that descends into obsession and horror. Starring the legendary Lon Chaney in one of the most extraordinary performances of the silent era, The Unknown (1927) is a dark psychological melodrama from the imagination of director Tod Browning, where deception, desire and bodily transformation combine to create one of cinema’s most unsettling masterpieces.

Set beneath the canvas of a travelling circus, The Unknown explores identity, performance and the monstrous lengths to which people will go in pursuit of love. Experience this unforgettable silent classic with a live musical accompaniment by renowned pianist Stephen Horne, whose acclaimed improvised score brings fresh intensity and emotion to every twist of Browning’s haunting tale.

Tickets £15 including a delightful gin cocktail and a 20% donation to the King's Chaplaincy Trust. Please click here to purchase.

Stephen Horne
Stephen Horne has long been internationally considered one of the leading silent film accompanists. A house pianist at London’s BFI Southbank for over thirty years, he has played at all the major UK venues and recorded music for scores of films. Although principally a pianist, he often incorporates other instruments into his performances, sometimes simultaneously. He regularly performs internationally and in recent years his accompaniments have met with acclaim at film festivals in Europe, North America and Asia. In 2011 and 2012, he was commissioned to compose ensemble scores for the London Film Festival Archive Galas of 'The First Born' and 'The Manxman'. And every year since 2014, he has won in one or more categories in the annual Silent London poll.

Bryony Dixon
Bryony Dixon is a curator at the BFI National Archive, specialising in silent film and early cinema. She has led numerous restoration and preservation projects, bringing rare and forgotten films back to life for modern audiences. Bryony is also a published author, speaker, and broadcaster on the subject of film history, with a particular interest in the cultural and social context of early filmmaking. Her expertise has made her a leading figure in the revival of silent cinema, and she frequently collaborates with musicians, academics, and institutions worldwide to present silent films with live accompaniment and historical insight.