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FAWLTY TOWERS – THE PLAY

★★★★★

Apollo Theatre

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FAWLTY TOWERS – THE PLAY at the Apollo Theatre

★★★★★

“Adam Jackson-Smith steps into Basil, embodying the neurotic hotelier with pin-point accuracy”

The stage is set with the familiar interior of the eponymous Fawlty Towers with the reception, restaurant and a small guest room raised upstage above the lobby (Liz Ascroft). Evoking the sense of being a television set, big Fresnel lights dotted around the set burnish the scene. We meet Sybil Fawlty (Anna-Jane Casey) cackling through the phone and spouting orders. Basil Fawlty (Adam Jackson-Smith) enters to expectant applause as he demonstrates the couple’s entirely dysfunctional marriage dynamic, his clear dislike for every aspect of his life burning through.

The irritatingly reasonable Mr Hutchinson (Steven Meo) rattles off his requests to the annoyed Basil who summons the loveable and earnestly confused Manuel (Hemi Yeroham). Endlessly saving Basil in his lies, Polly Sherman (Victoria Fox) tries to troubleshoot the various conundrums presented to her by the eccentric guests and highly-stung management. Throughout, poor Major (Paul Nicholas) struggles to “remember the remembrance service” as he is unscrupulously ripped off and sidelined. Fawlty Towers is in full swing, complete with mania and comeuppance.

 

 

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Fawlty Towers – The Play, is a faithful recreation of the award winning television show, taking its best bits and executing some of the finest routines in comedy. It is an adaptation of three episodes – so expect to see hotel inspectors, head injuries, moose heads and fire drills. Watching it as an audience member and hearing the laughter erupt around the Apollo Theatre instead of a studio audience recording in the living room is an experience in itself. Basil announcing in Act One that the ‘Germans will be arriving later’ incited a knowing laugh and teased Act Two’s pay-off without being overly referential.

Anyone not a fan of farce and slapstick would likely struggle to enjoy this play, as could be said of the television show, but Fawlty Towers lives and breathes perfection of this genre. Despite being written in the 70s the language of comedy is timeless and Basil’s totally unhinged behaviour coupled with endearing, infuriating and bemused guests and colleagues makes for a brilliantly tight comedy of errors. Fawlty Towers is also refreshing in its flawed and funny female characters and ridicule of Basil’s self-induced unhappiness and poor attitude. There were no jokes that caused any hindsight-induced cringe; the play is well adapted for modern audiences.

The cast have the pressure and responsibility of upholding the standards set by John Cleese, Connie Booth, Prunella Scales, and Andrew Sachs. They rise to the challenge with vitality and exactness, demonstrating the pinnacle of farce to hilarious effect in this slick high-energy performance. Adam Jackson-Smith steps into Basil, embodying the neurotic hotelier with pin-point accuracy to Cleese’s performance. We knew we were in safe hands from the very first angrily spat out “Right!” and Sybil’s vibrato giggle. Directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, the play is a beautiful homage to the television version, with actors hugging the source material closely, leaving little room for any new or unique interpretation. But when the material is the gold-standard of slapstick, why would you change it? Fawlty Towers feels at home on stage, arguably, where it always meant to be.

 


FAWLTY TOWERS – THE PLAY at the Apollo Theatre

Reviewed on 15th May 2024

by Jessica Potts

Photography by Hugo Glendinning

 


 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

MIND MANGLER | ★★★★ | March 2024
THE TIME TRAVELLER’S WIFE | ★★★ | November 2023
POTTED PANTO | ★★★★★ | December 2022
CRUISE | ★★★★★ | August 2022
MONDAY NIGHT AT THE APOLLO | ★★★½ | May 2021

FAWLTY TOWERS

FAWLTY TOWERS

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NOW IN ITS RECORD BREAKING 33rd YEAR

CAMERON MACKINTOSH

ANNOUNCES MAJOR CAST CHANGES FOR

THE WEST END PRODUCTION OF

 

“LES MISÉRABLES”

 

AT THE QUEEN’S THEATRE

FROM MONDAY 12 JUNE 2017:

 

KILLIAN DONNELLY WILL STAR AS ‘JEAN VALJEAN’

CARLEY STENSON AS ‘FANTINE’

AND

HAYDEN TEE RETURNS AS ‘JAVERT’

 

Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that Killian Donnelly will star as ‘Jean Valjean’. He joins “Les Misérables” fresh from Broadway where he is currently playing the lead role of ‘Charlie Price’ in “Kinky Boots”. West End leading lady and former Hollyoaks star Carley Stenson, will join the company as ‘Fantine’ and Hayden Tee returns to play ‘Javert’ from 17 July having performed the role at The Queen’s Theatre until 22 April this year.

Also joining the company are Steven Meo as ‘Thénardier’; Karis Jack as ‘Eponine’, Jacqueline Tate as ‘Madame Thénardier’ and Hyoie O’Grady as ‘Enjolras’. Paul Wilkins will continue in the role of ‘Marius’ and Charlotte Kennedy will continue in the role of ‘Cosette’ having both originally joined the company in 2015.

From 17 July 2017 the full company will be: Emma Barr; Adam Bayjou; Oliver Brenin; Ciarán Bowling; Hugo Chiarella; Andy Conaghan; Killian Donnelly; Alice Ellen Wright; Sophie-May Feek; Hyoie O’Grady; Catherine Hannay; Antony Hansen; Holly-Anne Hull; James Hume; Karis Jack; Ciaran Joyce; Charlotte Kennedy; Katie Kerr; Rebecca Lafferty; Jo Loxton; John Lumsden; Anna McGarahan; Steven Meo; Jonny Purchase; Lauren Soley; Carley Stenson; Jacqueline Tate; Shaq Taylor; George Tebbutt; Hayden Tee; Lee Van Geleen; Danny Whitehead and Paul Wilkins.

Killian Donnelly is currently playing the role of ‘Charlie Price’ in “Kinky Boots” on Broadway, a role he originated at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End in 2015, for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award. His other theatre credits include: ‘Jackie Day’ in “Donegal”, a new play by Frank McGuinness, at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin and ‘Huey’ in the original London cast of “Memphis” at the Shaftesbury Theatre for which he was also nominated for an Olivier Award. He created the role of ‘Deco’ in “The Commitments” at the Palace Theatre and has also played ‘Tony’ in “Billy Elliot” at the Victoria Palace Theatre as well as’ Raoul’ in “The Phantom of the Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre. He first joined the company of “Les Misérables” in 2008, going onto play the role of ‘Enjolras’ from 2009 to 2011. In 2010, he played the role of ‘Courfeyrac’ in the “25th Anniversary Concert of Les Misérables” at The O2 Arena and also played the role of ‘Combeferre’ in the multi-award-winning film of the show, released in 2012.

Carley Stenson’s West End credits include ‘Elle Woods’ in “Legally Blonde”, ‘Princess Fiona’ in “Shrek The Musical” and ‘Lady of the Lake’ in “Spamalot”. Carley also starred as ‘Christine Colgate’ in the tour of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”. She is probably best known for playing the regular role of ‘Steph Cunningham’ in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, for which she was nominated for several awards during her 10 years with the show.

Hayden Tee returns to the West End production of Les Misérables having played the role of ‘Javert’ in the West End from 9 January 2017 to 22 April 2017. He has previously played the role on Broadway and in Dubai. He has also previously played the role of ‘Marius’. His other theatre credits include: “South Pacific”; “Little Women”; “Titanic”; “Cats” and “Into the Woods”.

Steven Meo’s previous theatre credits include “Pride & Prejudice” at The Regents Park Open Air Theatre and on UK tour; “The Taming of the Shrew”, “Boeing Boeing”, “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog” all for Theatre Clwyd; “The Distance” for Sheffield Crucible/Orange Tree Theatre and “Flesh and Blood” for Hampstead Theatre and on tour.

Karis Jack’s theatre credits include “The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin” at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East & Belgrade Theatre, Coventry; “Baddies: The Musical” at the Unicorn Theatre’ “Hairspray” at Curve, Leicester and on UK tour; “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Salisbury Playhouse and Mercury Theatre, Colchester; and “Urinetown: The Musical” at the Apollo Theatre and St James Theatre.

Jacqueline Tate’s previous theatre credits include: “Allegro” at the Southwark Playhouse; “Avenue Q” at the Wyndham’s Theatre, Gielgud Theatre and national tour; “South Pacific” at The Barbican Theatre and UK tour; “The Phantom of The Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre and “My Fair Lady” and “Evita” on international tour.

Hyoie O’Grady is making his professional and West End debut in “Les Misérables”.

Paul Wilkins has previously played the role of ‘Marius’ in “Les Misérables” in Manila, Singapore and Dubai. He made his West End debut in “Les Misérables” in 2015.

Charlotte Kennedy made her West End debut in “Les Misérables” in 2015. She has also appeared in “Elaine Paige in Concert” at the Royal Albert Hall.

 

www.lesmis.com