John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers – The Play today announces that it is extending its West End run for a second time. Currently playing at London’s Apollo Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue, the critically acclaimed production will now run until Saturday 1 March 2025.
Comedy legend John Cleese, who originally co-wrote the “greatest British sitcom of all time” (Radio Times) with Connie Booth, has taken 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, for the West End stage.
On announcement of the extension, John Cleese said: “When we came up with the idea of bringing Fawlty Towers to the West End, I never thought it would get the reception that it has. It’s been almost exactly 50 years since we recorded the pilot at BBC Television Centre and I’m delighted that audiences still think it’s as funny as ever. As a result, we’ve been able to extend the West End run not once, but now twice! I believe that farce is funniest in a theatre with a live audience, and I’m very happy that this extension gives more people the chance to see our superb cast in action.”
Directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, this “as good as comedy gets” production (Sunday Times) opened in May to rave reviews. The show stars Adam Jackson-Smith as Basil; Anna-Jane Casey as Sybil; Hemi Yeroham as Manuel; Victoria Fox as Polly and Paul Nicholas as The Major.
The play also features many of the beloved characters from the original TV sitcom on stage for an unmissable evening of “Fawltless” (Mail on Sunday) comedy: Mrs Richards played by Rachel Izen; Mr Hutchinson / German Guest played by Steven Meo; Miss Tibbs played by Kate Russell-Smith; Miss Gatsby played by Nicola Sanderson; Mr Thurston / German guest played by Greg Haiste; Mr Walt / Dr Finn played by Danny Bayne; Taxi Driver / Mr Firkins / Mr Kerr / Mr Sharp played by Neil Stewart, German guest played by Emma Fenney and Hotel Guests: Mia Austen, John Hasler, Dale Superville. Completing the company of players are Ben Jacobson and Suzy Bloom.
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.
Fawlty Towers was first broadcast on BBC Two on 19 September 1975. The iconic TV show went on to win 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. Set in a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay, just 12 half hour episodes of the iconic comedy were made.
The sitcom is 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.
