One of Britain’s most beloved sitcoms is set to take centre stage in Oxford next month as John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers – The Play arrives at New Theatre Oxford for a limited run from 14 to 18 July.
Following two sold-out and critically acclaimed seasons in London’s West End, the stage adaptation of the classic television comedy brings the chaos, misunderstandings and unforgettable characters of the original series to audiences across the UK.
The production, which premiered in May 2024, is directed by Caroline Jay Ranger and features Danny Bayne as the irascible hotel owner Basil Fawlty, alongside Mia Austen as Sybil, Hemi Yeroham as Manuel, Joanne Clifton as Polly, Paul Nicholas as The Major and Jemma Churchill as Mrs Richards.
The tour arrives at a significant moment for the franchise. This year marks 50 years since Fawlty Towers first aired on BBC Two in September 1975. Despite producing only 12 episodes across two series, the sitcom remains one of the most celebrated and influential comedies in British television history.
For the stage adaptation, comedy legend John Cleese has revisited three of his favourite episodes from the original series – The Hotel Inspector, The Germans and Communication Problems – weaving them together into a two-hour theatrical production complete with a newly written finale.
The result is a fast-paced comedy that captures many of the moments that helped make the television series a household favourite, from Basil’s desperate attempts to impress suspected hotel inspectors to his increasingly frantic efforts to manage difficult guests, misunderstandings and his own mounting frustrations.
Audiences can also expect appearances from a host of familiar characters, including the famously hard-of-hearing Mrs Richards, the long-suffering Polly, the eccentric Major and Manuel, the well-meaning waiter whose misunderstandings frequently leave Basil at breaking point.
The wider cast includes Greg Haiste, Emily Winter, Dawn Buckland, John Hasler, Adam Elliott, Neil Stewart and Josie Brightwell, alongside Ashleigh Harvey, Ben Jacobson, Matthew Gordon and Raymond Rose.
Set in the fictional seaside town of Torquay, Fawlty Towers was inspired in part by real-life hotel owner Donald Sinclair, whose famously abrasive manner fascinated Cleese during a stay at the Gleneagles Hotel. Those experiences ultimately helped shape one of British comedy’s most memorable characters.
The original television series earned numerous accolades, including two BAFTA awards for Best Situation Comedy, and in 2000 was voted the greatest British television programme of all time in a poll conducted by the British Film Institute.
Half a century after Basil Fawlty first appeared on television screens, the enduring appeal of the character and the razor-sharp writing continue to attract audiences old and new. The stage adaptation offers fans an opportunity to revisit some of the sitcom’s most iconic moments while introducing a new generation to the mayhem of Fawlty Towers.
With its blend of classic farce, memorable one-liners and larger-than-life characters, the production promises an evening of comedy that celebrates one of Britain’s most enduring television classics.
John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers – The Play runs at New Theatre Oxford from Tuesday 14 July to Saturday 18 July.
