John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers – The Play visits Wolverhampton
Starring veteran TV and stage actor Paul Nicholas, and former Strictly Come Dancing champion Joanne Clifton, Fawlty Towers – The Play comes to Wolverhampton as part of a 10-month UK tour.
This production is directed by originating West End director Caroline Jay Ranger, and stars Danny Bayne as Basil Fawlty, Mia Austen as Sybil, Hemi Yeroham as Manuel, Joanne Clifton as Polly, Paul Nicholas as The Major and Jemma Churchill as Mrs Richards.
It has been 50 years since Fawlty Towers first broadcast on BBC Two in September 1975, and comedy legend John Cleese, who originally wrote the sitcom with Connie Booth, has chosen three of his favourite original TV episodes ‘The Hotel Inspector’ and ‘The Germans’ from series one and ‘Communication Problems’ from series two – and adapted them into a two-hour play, complete with a new finale.
Theatre goers are in for a treat as this much-loved comedy masterpiece transitions to the stage.
John Cleese said: “I’m thrilled with the top-class group of comedy actors that we've assembled for the UK tour of Fawlty Towers - The Play. This year is the 50th anniversary of the first ever TV episode broadcasting on the BBC. I never thought that all these years later the stage show would get the reception that it has. But here we are, still making theatres rock with laughter.”
Following a tip off that hotel inspectors may be visiting and eager to impress, Basil attempts to ingratiate himself with guests that he suspects are there to critique the establishment. The situation is further plagued by a party of Germans, the deaf and dotty guest-from-hell, Mrs Richards, whose infuriating complaints prevent him from hiding a gambling win from his ever vigilant and bossy wife, Sybil. Together they run their hotel with a little help from the unflappable Polly, and very little help at all from Manuel, the trainee waiter from Barcelona who is the butt of Fawlty’s frustration.
Set in a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay, only 12 half hour episodes of the original BBC comedy were ever made. Based on a real-life hotel owner, Donald Sinclair, John Cleese came up with the idea for the character Basil Fawlty when he stayed at Sinclair’s Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay and became fascinated with his incredibly rude behaviour.
The iconic TV show won many awards and plaudits including two BAFTAS for Best Situation Comedy and in 2000 it was voted the best British programme of all time in a British Film Institute poll.
Fawlty Towers – The Play runs at Wolverhampton Grand from 10-21 February. Tickets are available at fawltytowerstour.co.uk
