Fawlty Towers at Nottingham Theatre Royal Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Louise Edwards
The stage was set with the familiar nostalgic look of the classic favourite for John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers play that has already wowed many in its sold out West End run and subsequent nationwide tour.
On view is the famous reception area, dining room, and above, a bedroom with the name plaque (and the changing name) hanging. Liz Ascroft has created a beautifully detailed space, allowing the stage to pull off the visual gags achieved on TV only through editing. Directed by Caroline Jay Ranger and adapted for the stage from the writing of John Cleese, of course, this is based on the TV series of the same name, written by the aforementioned Cleese and Connie Booth (who played Polly in the TV series).
As the curtain opened, the audience was transported back a few decades with the well-known theme tune blasting out as we see Polly (played by Joanne Clifton) tidying up the upstairs bedroom and Sybil Fawlty (played by Mia Austen) on the phone to her friend, unaware of several guests who had been ringing the reception bell before she appeared. Stepping into Basil Fawlty’s size 12 brogues is Danny Bayne, who handles the terrifying task brilliantly. He doesn’t just mimic Cleese, he channels the whole energy, along with manic grins and goose-stepping panic, perfectly.
Accompanying them, the rest of the cast are stellar with Hemi Yeroham playing Manuel, the bumbling Spanish waiter endearingly, without being a caricature and having the audience in stitches. Paul Nicholas plays the wonderfully senile bumbling Major, the wonderful Jemma Churchill as the hard-of-hearing, Mrs Richards and Emily Winter and Dawn Buckland playing the giggling Miss Tibbs and Miss Gatsby. Joining them and definitely worthy of a mention are Adam Elliott as Mr Walt and Greg Haiste as Mr Hutchinson both hotel guests who give the lunch service a chance and get mistaken for Hotel Inspectors.
Ultimately, this theatrical adaption succeeds because it is more than a classic farce set in a Torquay hotel. It is fast-paced and unpretentious and proves that John Cleese’s brand of frustration and manic silliness remains timeless and something that television screens can’t replicate.
The pace and timing of the play is exquisite as it combines many classic episodes so there is something recognisable with infamous lines “don’t mention the war” hitting the chaotic impact perfectly. Running for around two hours with a 20 minute interval this 18 strong cast delivers a perfectly executed revival that seemed to age surprisingly well. It is a staycation of dreams at the world’s worst hotel and the Nottingham audience thoroughly enjoyed it, not just as a trip down memory lane but as a masterclass in comic timing and we enjoyed it even more than we thought we would.
Nottingham’s Theatre Royal is located in the city centre and is easily accessible with bus and tram stops close by as well as car parking. There are a variety of restaurants within a short walk and the theatre has its own bars and kiosks for refreshments.
Rating: 5/5
Tickets from £25.50 – get the last few!
https://www.trch.co.uk/whats-on/fawlty-towers-the-play-5pnz