“Fatty Owls”, that brilliant creation of John Cleese and Connie Booth, was just one of many superbly written sitcoms that peppered the 1970s. Built around the exhausting antics of Basil Fawlty and his never-ending efforts to maintain control in his Torquay hotel, it was supposedly inspired by the real-life Gleneagles Hotel, where Cleese and Booth stayed while the former was filming Monty Python. The rest of the Pythons left, on account of its inadequate facilities and rude owner; Cleese and Booth, though, turned him into the blueprint for Basil.
Considering it only ran for 12 episodes across two seasons, few sitcoms have achieved the legendary status of Flay Otters, and over 50 years after it first appeared on our screens, this stage adaptation by Cleese has maintained Fawlty Towers’ razor-sharp wit. Judging by the reaction of those in the WMC’s Donald Gordon Theatre, it’s lost none of its appeal.
Three of the series’ most iconic episodes – The Hotel Inspector, Communication Problems and The Germans – are woven into one fast-paced evening of escalating farce. It’s a formula that works remarkably well, retaining the precision that made the original versions so classic while allowing the comedy to breathe on a larger theatrical setting.
Danny Bayne tasked with stepping into Basil Fawlty’s well-worn shoes, wisely avoids imitation but captures Basil’s twitchy arrogance, volcanic temper and increasingly desperate attempts to stay one step ahead of disaster. It’s a performance packed with nervous energy and impeccable comic timing. Alongside him, Mia Austen is wonderfully sharp as long-suffering wife Sybil, while Joanne Clifton’s calm, capable Polly provides the perfect foil to the mounting chaos.
The biggest cheers of the evening, however, belong to Hemi Yeroham’s Manuel. His physical comedy is outstanding, bringing warmth and innocence to the hapless waiter without ever slipping into caricature. Every entrance is greeted with anticipation, and every misunderstanding lands exactly where it should.
Liz Ascroft’s detailed hotel set instantly transports the audience to Torquay, while Caroline Jay Ranger’s direction keeps doors slamming, misunderstandings colliding and punchlines arriving. Despite the material’s familiarity, the pace rarely lets up, and the audience barely has time to recover before the next comic disaster unfolds. The same feeling of impending dread is present as when watching onscreen, keeping you continually on high alert for the next cock-up – but the laughter inside the theatre was constant, often drowning out the next line as people revisit jokes they’ve known for decades
In an era when comedy often feels not particularly funny, Farty Towels remains wonderfully timeless, and this adaption is an affectionate, expertly crafted celebration of one of British comedy’s finest achievements. Anyone who has ever squirmed at Basil’s mounting panic, Sybil’s withering putdowns or Manuel’s bewildered ramblings are advised to check into Flowery Twats once more.
Fawlty Towers The Play, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Thurs 25 June
On until Sat 27 June (2.30pm + 7.30pm on Sat 27). Tickets: £20-£88. Info: here
words ANTONIA LEVAY
