Fawlty Towers: The Play
| Fawlty Towers: The Play | |
|---|---|
| Written by | John Cleese |
| Based on | Fawlty Towers TV series by John Cleese and Connie Booth |
| Date premiered | 19 August 2016 |
| Place premiered | Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Comedy |
Fawlty Towers: The Play is a comedy play by John Cleese based on his television sitcom of the same name that he co-wrote with Connie Booth.
The play adapted three episodes of the TV series, forming one storyline; "The Hotel Inspectors", "The Germans" and "Communication Problems".[1]
Production history
[edit]Australia (2016)
[edit]The play made its world premiere (as Fawlty Towers Live) at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in Sydney on August 19, 2016, before embarking on a tour of Australia. The planned tour of New Zealand was cancelled.[2] The production was directed by Caroline J. Ranger and designed by Liz Ascroft and featured a cast including Stephen Hall as Basil Fawlty, Blazey Best as Sybil Fawlty, Aimee Horne as Polly and Syd Brisbane as Manuel.[3]
West End (2024)
[edit]
The play made its UK premiere (as Fawlty Towers: The Play) at the Apollo Theatre in London's West End opening 4 May 2024. It was originally due to run until 28 September, however due to popular demand it was extended until 4 January 2025 and then once again until 1 March 2025 when it will close.[4] The cast features Adam Jackson-Smith as Basil, Anna-Jane Casey as Sybil, Victoria Fox as Polly, Hemi Yeroham as Manuel and Paul Nicholas as the Major.[5][6]
UK Tour (2025 - 2026)
[edit]The play will embark on a tour around the UK opening in September 2025 at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley and concluding at the New Theatre, Oxford on 18 July 2026.[7][8]
Cast and characters
[edit]| Character | Sydney | West End |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2024 | |
| Basil | Stephen Hall | Adam Jackson-Smith |
| Sybil | Blazey Best | Anna-Jane Casey |
| Polly | Aimee Horne | Victoria Fox |
| Manuel | Syd Brisbane | Hemi Yeroham |
| Major Gowen | Paul Bertram | Paul Nicholas |
| Mrs Richards | Deborah Kennedy | Rachel Izen |
References
[edit]- ^ "John Cleese's FAWLTY TOWERS to premiere on the West End stage". www.londonboxoffice.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
- ^ "Fawlty Towers – Live New Zealand Tour Cancelled | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 2024-08-22.
- ^ "Full Fawlty Towers Cast Announced | Stage Whispers". www.stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
- ^ "Fawlty Towers announces final extension and West End closing date". 2024-10-25. Retrieved 2025-01-11.
- ^ "Fawlty Towers stage show heads to London's West End". BBC News. 2024-02-02. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
- ^ Wiegand, Chris (2024-02-02). "John Cleese brings Fawlty Towers stage show to the West End". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
- ^ "Fawlty Towers to embark on UK tour". 2024-12-02. Retrieved 2025-01-11.
- ^ "Fawlty Towers in Oxford: Theatre tickets, show details, cast, and more". 2024-11-19. Retrieved 2025-01-11.