Fawlty Towers – The Play Tickets
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About Fawlty Towers – The Play
Fatty Owls? Watery Fowls? Farty Towels? There’s only one Fawlty Towers, and the most chaotic hotel in Torquay (and perhaps the country) comes to the West End this summer.
Fawlty Towers is set to make its grand return – and this time you can swap the screen for the stage. Join Basil, Sybil, Manuel, Polly, and guests in a new hilarious production adapted from the TV series by original star John Cleese himself.
Basil and Sybil Fawlty run a seaside hotel, but Basil isn’t a natural at hospitality, treating the majority of his guests as nuisances. He is forever creating self-inflicted disasters, which he tries to keep hidden from his wife. Spanish waiter Manuel does his best to help, but the language barrier tends to make things more confusing. It’s usually left to waitress and maid Polly to pick up the pieces.
Fawlty Towers promises all the nostalgia and famous gags beloved by the show’s fans, as well as new takes on the famous characters by leading comic actors. Don’t forget to leave a good tip!
Run time
1hr 50min. Incl. 1 interval.
Venue
Categories
Age
All Ages.
Start date
4th May, 2024
End date
1st March, 2025
Venue
Directions
Location: West End
Railway station: Charing Cross
Bus numbers: (Shaftesbury Avenue) 12, 14, 19, 38; (Regent Street) 6, 13, 15, 23, 88, 94, 139, 159, 453
Night bus numbers: (Shaftesbury Avenue) 14, N19, N38; (Regent Street) 6, 12, 23, 88, 94, 139, 159, 453, N3, N13, N15, N109, N18, N136
Car park: Brewer Street (2mins)
Directions from tube: The Apollo Theatre is situated on Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End of London, close to Piccadilly Circus tube station.
More information about Fawlty Towers – The Play
The production is based on three of the 12-part series’ most popular episodes: “The Hotel Inspectors” (in which Basil goes berserk trying to work out which guest is there undercover) “Communication Problems” (in which Basil meets his match in imperious, hearing-impaired guest Mrs Richards) and “The Germans” (no introduction necessary). Prepare to laugh your socks off, but don’t mention the war!
Adam Jackson-Smith (The Girl on the Train, The 39 Steps) plays Cleese’s role of the snobbish, misanthropic Basil. Anna-Jane Casey (Cabaret, Billy Elliot) adopts Prunella Scales’s perm as Basil’s more level-headed but nosey wife Sybil. They are joined by Hemi Yeroham (La Cage aux Folles) as lovable Spanish waiter Manuel (originally played by the unforgettable Andrew Sachs) and Victoria Fox as sensible chambermaid Polly (co-creator Connie Booth’s role). The supporting cast includes Paul Nicholas (Just Good Friends) as the gaffe-prone long-term resident The Major, and Rachel Izen (Funny Girl) as Mrs Richards.
The production is directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, whose talent for comedy has previously been showcased in Only Fools and Horses – The Musical, Steve Coogan Live, and Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse’s Legends Live Tour.
What to watch for
- Only 12 episodes of Fawlty Towers were made as Cleese and Booth were perfectionists who didn’t want the show to dilute in quality, with each scene undergoing an intense editing process. It’s fair to say that every episode has become a classic.
- Fawlty Towers is more than a comedy classic—in 2000, a British Film Institute poll voted it the best British TV programme of all time.
- Basil Fawlty is based on Donald Sinclair, the proprietor of the Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay where Cleese and the Monty Python troupe stayed in 1970s. Cleese described Sinclair as “the rudest man I've ever come across in my life.”
- Cleese made guest appearances in American sitcoms 3rd Rock from the Sun and Cheers, both of which cite Fawlty Towers as an influence on their depiction of dysfunctional workplace “families.”
- Cleese reprised his role as Basil in 2006 in an unofficial England 2006 World Cup song "Don't Mention the World Cup.”
Frequently asked questions
What is Fawlty Towers – The Play about?
Fawlty Towers, the most popular British sitcom of all time, makes its West End debut in an adaptation by original star and co-creator John Cleese. The play weaves together three episodes from the TV show: “The Hotel Inspectors”, “Communication Problems”, and “The Germans”. A hilarious cast brings the characters to life for an uproarious evening of non-stop laughs. Just don’t mention the war!
How do you get tickets for Fawlty Towers – The Play?
Check the top of this page for current availability and exclusive offers on Fawlty Towers – The Play tickets on TodayTix.
How much are tickets for Fawlty Towers – The Play?
Fawlty Towers – The Play tickets start at £15.
What is the age recommendation for Fawlty Towers – The Play?
All Ages.
What is the running time of Fawlty Towers – The Play?
Fawlty Towers – The Play runs for 1hr 50min. Incl. 1 interval.
Which theatre is Fawlty Towers – The Play at?
Fawlty Towers – The Play is at London's Apollo Theatre, which is located at 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7EZ.
Who wrote Fawlty Towers?
Fawlty Towers is based on the television comedy by John Cleese and Connie Booth, adapted for the stage by John Cleese.
Who directs Fawlty Towers?
Fawlty Towers is directed by Caroline Jay Ranger.
Is Fawlty Towers good?
Yes: Fawlty Towers is one of the greatest sitcoms of all time and this stage production features three favourite episodes from the TV series, adapted by John Cleese.
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