FAULTY TOWERS THE DINING EXPERIENCE
President Hotel
โ โ โ
โnot without its faults, but โFaulty Towersโ is good, solid funโ
The atmosphere is somewhat subdued, with the feel of an airport lounge area. There is a long line to the bar at which the service is inefficient enough to ensure the queue is growing rather than shrinking. Consequently, thereโs a bit of a delay. This is of no concern, however, to Basil Fawlty, who bursts into the room to herd us into the dining room next door, all the while insulting us, alternating his deliciously barbed insults between the guests and his long-suffering waiter, Manuel. Sybil is on hand to a) placate us and b) to antagonise Basil further still. โCome on, Iโm trying to run a hotel hereโ squeals Basil. โHave you any idea of how much there is to do? Do you ever think of that? Of course notโฆโ As we take our seats, we are all secretly hoping, at some point, to be the target of Basilโs abuse. The odds are low, however; there are simply too many diners in the rather spacious, refectory styled function room. The dรฉcor is bland, offering no clue whatsoever that we could be down in Torquay nor any concession to the decade that โFawlty Towersโ was originally set.
The sheer numbers, though, are testament to the success of the show (if one can call it a show) that has been dished up in London for over a dozen years now. Even if they donโt recreate the ambience, the chaotic spirit is captured. It is an unofficial tribute to the television series โ hence the use of โFaultyโ rather than โFawltyโ โ which mixes improvised audience interaction with scripted snippets from some of the most recognised and iconic episodes. The sketches are rather random, with no through line to link them. Those unfamiliar with John Cleese and Connie Boothโs original might be a touch perplexed; but I doubt that itโs ever an issue. On that note, Polly (Boothโs character in the sitcom) is conspicuously absent. The evening is managed by the trio alone. Although they have little competence in running a restaurant, they are masters of character acting. Lawrence Watling adopts Basilโs mannerisms and maladroitness with easy skill. Not as gangly as Cleese, he still has the physical elasticity required (even pulling off the now suspect Germanic goose-step episode) and the vocal tics. Nerine Skinner has Sybilโs conversational tone down to a tee, while Leigh Kellyโs Manuel ricochets between the tables in a constant state of confusion. It is only when he (infrequently) gets up close to you that you can see the precision of his impersonation.
Then again, the evening isnโt about subtlety. Itโs basically about having a good time โ which is what everyone is having. And it certainly isnโt about the food either. Admittedly Basilโs hotel wasnโt renowned for it, but the fare on offer is far removed from any definition of โhaute cuisineโ. And not a whiff of โWaldorf Saladโ. A missed trick, perhaps? Sometimes it seems that the evening isnโt really about the show. Spotting the characters is occasionally like looking for a particular elusive guest across a crowded room. And before dessert is unceremoniously plonked down on our tables, our hosts have taken their bows and left. We are left a little in the lurch. But looking around at my companions, the room is filled with satisfied smiles. It is a healthy cross section of humanity, but you can spot the die-hard โFawltyโ fans. Yet there is a diversity that pays homage to the far-reaching appeal of โFawlty Towersโ with its iconic, iconoclastic British humour.
It is not without its faults, but โFaulty Towersโ is good, solid fun. As Sybil explains when the โfreshโ soup on the menu looks as though itโs running out; โchef can always open another tinโ. This dining experience does exactly what it says on the tin. The contents are spread a little too thin, however. On a smaller scale weโd definitely get more of the flavour. A touch too much soda and not enough Scotch. But with Basil Fawlty in charge, thereโs absolutely no point complaining. Just enjoy itโฆ and with that attitude you will.
FAULTY TOWERS THE DINING EXPERIENCE
President Hotel
Reviewed on 3rd April 2025
by Jonathan Evans