Fawlty Towers UK Tour - New Wimbledon Theatre

Faithful to a Fawlt

Photography - Hugo Glendinning

★★★☆☆

Stage adaptations of classic IP often struggle to justify their worth, and unfortunately, the Fawlty Towers tour falls squarely into that “trying-too-hard” category. The production is undeniably faithful, almost to a fault, but in attempting to recreate every beloved moment from the sitcom, it feels like the cast and creatives are trapped under the weight of the show’s own nostalgia. There’s no denying the laughs are there, but at times it’s like watching someone attempt to perform a greatest-hits setlist with no room for flexibility.

The plot sticks closely to the original episodes, following Basil’s doomed attempts to manage his hotel while Sybil barks, Manuel panics, and Polly attempts to maintain the peace. Iconic sequences, such as arrival of hotel inspectors and the talking Moose head, are lovingly reproduced, but the pacing suffers under the weight of extending 30-minute sitcom sketches to a full-length stage show. By the end of the first act, the gags start to feel slightly stretched, the frenetic energy flags, and the novelty of watching the slapstick tomfoolery in person begins to wear thin.

Danny Bayne’s Basil is a spirited effort, capturing the twitchy, exasperated energy Cleese made famous and Mia Austen’s Sybil is sharp and dependable, yet the material leaves her little room to play. Hemi Yeroham ensures Manuel remains charmingly chaotic, though the surrounding humour can’t help but feel somewhat dated and Joanne Clifton’s Polly is the quiet anchor. Each is undoubtedly brilliant and recognisable in their roles, bringing strong impressions of the adored characters but they are cursed to be imitations of the originals, never quite matching the levels of those that came before. The design too is neat and delightfully familiar, the hotel set capturing the sitcom’s look, but all the while feeling more like a tribute.

Ultimately, the Fawlty Towers tour is a lose-lose scenario: too faithful to surprise, yet too stage-bound to capture the magic that made the original sitcom feel spontaneous and witty. There are laughs to be had, of course, but the evening drags as the action stretches beyond its natural runtime. The cast are superb in their execution so for die-hard fans this will of course be a must-see but for everyone else you may be better off staying at home and popping the original show on.

Touring until July 2026 - Tickets

Photography - Hugo Glendinning