Get ready to check into the Grand Opera House this week – as Torquay’s most chaotic hotel opens for business in York.
Fawlty Towers is a staple of the classic British sitcom legacy. The TV comedy, co-written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, first premiered in 1975 on BBC Two and ended with a total of 12 episodes.
Now, three of the most iconic – The Hotel Inspectors, Communication Problems and The Germans – are brought together to form one storyline and a night of fantastically funny theatre.
The comedy play, also written by John Cleese, had its UK premiere on the West End in 2024, and this tour production is continuing to delight audiences around the country.
The audience in York on opening night must have been made up of a lot of devoted fans – the anticipation and reception to each reliable punchline that was delivered filled the auditorium with a sense of warmth throughout the evening.
Delivering theatre based on nostalgia is not easy to get right – you can only hold the audience for so long purely on sentimentality. However, the success of this show, apart from it just being extremely well written farce, is thanks to the strength of the cast.
Danny Bayne as Basil Fawlty is simply astonishing – not only does he capture the mannerisms of the iconic hotelier, he adds his own spin to make the character work perfectly for the stage. Bayne’s physicality and line delivery are truly laugh-out-loud funny (never have I heard the words ‘hearing aid’ said in such a way), and he knows exactly when to accelerate Basil’s chaotic meltdowns.
Mia Austen as Sybil brings exactly the right amount of unflappable and weary energy you would hope for with this character, and Joanne Clifton as Polly is a bright spark of energy whenever she’s on stage.
Paul Nicholas as the Major, a veteran British sitcom actor himself from Just Good Friends, ramps up particularly in the second act to show everyone his impeccable comic delivery, and Hemi Yeroham as Manuel is a true scene-stealing highlight, delivering physical comedy and endearing confusion with equal skill.
Nicholas and Yeroham are reprising their roles in the tour from the West End run, and their scene together with the talking moose head is worth the ticket price alone.
The whole 18-strong cast work extremely well together, with Jemma Churchill as Mrs Richards and Greg Haiste as Mr Hutchinson as particularly memorable turns, and directed well by Caroline Jay Ranger so the stage is never cluttered.
Another highlight is the incredible set and costume by Liz Ascroft. When you walk into the auditorium is like you’re walking directly into the hotel itself – the attention to detail in every corner is commendable. The addition of huge TV production-esque lights on stage was also a nice touch to remind us of the origin of the material.
The costumes are equally as impressive, and transport us straight back to the 70s, along with the fantastic wigs on display. Every detail is working in harmony to accompany the chaos happening on stage.
Fawlty Towers works surprisingly well on stage. I would happily have gone back tonight to watch an amalgamation of another three episodes. The play hits the perfect middle ground of appealing to long-term fans with plenty of iconic lines and scenes (and walks!), as well as plenty to enjoy for those who may never seen an episode.
This is nostalgic British theatre at it’s best: funny, cosy, and guaranteed to have you leaving the theatre with a smile on your face. And whilst it might not get you rushing to book your next seaside hotel stay, it does finish with plenty of time for a cup of tea when you get home – result!
Fawlty Towers – The Play is at the Grand Opera House York until Saturday 23 May. Tickets start from £20.80 and are available here.
