Fawlty Towers at the Apollo Theatre: Review

Nearly 50 years after Fawlty Towers first aired in 1975, London has welcomed Fawlty Towers as its newest play to the West End.

Currently on at the Apollo Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue, Fawlty Towers on stage brings to life a popular British sitcom written by and starring John Cleese, centred around a Devon hotel run by the cancerous Basil Fawlty.

Fawlty Towers on stage brings to life the popular British sitcom centred around a Devon hotel run by the cancerous Basil Fawlty. (Image: Hugo Glendinning)

The play brings together a host of the show’s most famous scenes that many fans will remember from its two seasons.

The show has been adapted by John Cleese and directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, and stars Adam Jackson-Smith as Basil, Anna-Jane Casey as Sybil, and Paul Nicholas as the Major.

The show stars Adam Jackson-Smith as Basil and Anna-Jane Casey as Sybil. (Image: Hugo Glendinning)

The set recreates the various rooms of Fawlty Towers, from the dining room where guests are served by a grouchy Basil, to the reception where Sybil can be found talking animatedly on the phone with friends.

Casey’s voicing of the famous “I know!” line was uncanny in its accuracy to the original character played by Prunella Scales.

The set recreates the various rooms of Fawlty Towers, including the reception where Sybil can be found talking animatedly on the phone with friends. (Image: Hugo Glendinning)

The play brings together scenes from three episodes, from when Basil attempts in vain to conceal his winning bet on a horse from Sybil, to the toe-curling moment where Basil interacts with a group of German guests, mentioning “the war” several times despite warnings to staff members not to.

The play includes the toe-curling moment where Basil interacts with a group of German guests, mentioning “the war” several times. (Image: Hugo Glendinning)

Adam Jackson-Smith gives a witty and humorous performance of Basil, retaining much of the sardonic nature first brought to the role by Cleese back in the day.

It was great to see Paul Nicholas take to the role of the fumbling Major, who gave a comical and animated performance as the ageing, suit-wearing ex-army veteran.

It was great to see Paul Nicholas take to the role of the fumbling Major, giving a comical and animated performance. (Image: Hugo Glendinning)

The show begins at a slower pace during the first half, with a lot more quips and dry humour.

However, the second half has a lot more slapstick comedy as things begin to descend into chaos.

The show begins with quips and dry humour before things descend into chaos. (Image: Hugo Glendinning)

The play ends with Sybil returning from hospital in a wheelchair to a fire, a Basil with a bandaged head, the major with a gun shooting a loose rat and three hotel inspectors checked into the hotel.

The play ends with Sybil returning from hospital to a fire, a bandaged Basil, the major with a gun and three hotel inspectors. (Image: Hugo Glendinning)

All in all, this play did feel like watching a very well executed recreation of some of the show's best bits and was a trip down memory lane for me and many others.

Fawlty Towers is currently playing at the Apollo Theatre from 4 May until 28 September, running for two hours with an interval, with tickets starting from £20 per person.