Faulty Towers Dinner Theatre At The Radisson Edwardian Bloomsbury Hotel Review

Reviewed by Gina Reedy

Going to the dinner theatre was always going to be an interesting experience after lockdown, especially as it is a virtually unknown concept in the UK. So what is dinner theatre? It is literally theatre that is performed whilst the audience is eating dinner in a restaurant.

Getting there was an enjoyable walk from London Charing Cross station; through the theatre district and along the Strand to the entrance of the Radisson Edwardian Bloomsbury Hotel.

On arrival, the light filled lobby with its original pieces of art feels very welcoming. The adjacent hotel bar has all one would hope for from its comprehensive drink list. We had a pre-dinner drink in there whilst waiting for our guests.

On entering the theatre area- just off the reception- the staff are very welcoming and in the foyer area there is the opportunity to buy a range of drinks to have with your meal, these can also be pre-ordered through the booking site. The prices are as you would expect from a hotel bar.

Tickets can be bought in advance or in the entrance foyer on the day (numbers permitting). The price of the tickets includes a three-course meal with coffee/tea, as well as the actual performance. (There is a pre-bookable vegan option.)

As the evening commenced, Basil, ably performed by David Tremaine, directed us to our tables. From the start I was impressed by the actors ability to remain totally in character throughout the evening. Basil had all the nuanced language and body movements (including the high kicking goose step) of John Cleese’s TV character of the same name.

The food was excellent. We started with a delicious roasted vine tomato soup, with freshly baked rolls -which were ably thrown onto the table by Anthony Clegg, acting his character Manuel. I felt he was exceptionally convincing as the guileless Spaniard lost in a world of language confusion. The show continued whilst the capable hotel staff delivered our food “helped” by Manuel, Basil and Sybil, played dynamically by Rebecca Norris. Sybil had all the delightful affectations one expected from her character, including the very irritating laugh.

The main course was a very tasty seared chicken with perfectly cooked sage dauphinoise, sprouting broccoli and root vegetables. This was followed by a suitably tart Lemon Mousse. I can’t praise the food highly enough- the kitchen produced a hot, fresh and delicious meal.

The majority of the show’s content was inspired by the TV series of the similar name. It is written so that you feel like you are in a living episode, but the dialogue is original and new. For fans of the original Fawlty Towers I believe this is a great night out. Certainly, the majority of the audience was of an age that would remember the 1970s series (There were some people celebrating 60th birthdays) and were clearly loving the slapstick jokes.

The show has been running since 1997, when it was first performed in Brisbane, and has continued to entertain audiences in over 40 countries clearly appealing to many. My recommendation would be that if you have family and friends that are fans of the TV show encourage them to buy tickets as they would be guaranteed a great evening out, true to the show, with excellent food to accompany it.

Rating: 5 out of 5 for food and true to the TV series performance.

Tickets from £67.50 to £75.00

For more information and to make a booking tickets can be bought from:
https://www.torquaysuitetheatre.com/tickets_london.html

Torquay Suite Theatre, Radisson Blu Edwardian, 9-13 Bloomsbury Street, London WC1B 3QD