Review: Fawlty Towers the play UK tour, Glasgow | Sublime, nostalgic entertainment
- Lisa in the theatre
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Making its Scottish premier at the King's Theatre, Glasgow this week, John Cleese's Fawlty Towers - The Play brings the beloved TV sitcom and its characters to glorious life on stage. Read my review below.
Fawlty Towers the play UK tour ★★★★☆
Review: 13 January 2026 | King's Theatre, Glasgow
Fifty years since it first blessed our TV screens, Fawlty Towers - the revered sitcom set in a chaotic Torquay hotel - is back, having been adapted for the stage by the original writer, Basil Fawlty himself, John Cleese.
Cleese has taken three of his favourite, original TV episodes of Fawlty Towers and combined them into a single two-hour comedy play. Following a London West End run in 2025, Fawlty Towers - The Play, embarked on a major UK tour in Autumn 2025, and this week the tour production had its Scottish premier in Glasgow.
As a fan of the TV series, I - like probably everyone else in the UK of a certain age - can almost quote each episode of Fawlty Towers word for word. There were only 12 TV episodes after all, and every one of them is a masterclass in sitcom writing and performance.
Thank goodness then that the play does an excellent job of recreating, not only the 1970s seaside hotel and host of iconic characters, but the sublime farcical humour and razor-sharp comic brilliance of the original scripts too.
Act one of Fawlty Towers the play, although not quite as side-splitting as a complete episode of the TV show, is a gratifying return to the turbulent Torquay hotel. I started beaming as soon as Dennis Wilson's iconic 'Fawlty Towers' theme tune filled the auditorium, and was delighted as Liz Ascroft's remarkably authentic set and costumes were gradually revealed.
The Fawlty Towers hotel reception and dining areas are spot on, and as every cast member makes their entrance on stage - styled impeccably, with convincing hair and makeup - they were met with appreciative roars of approval and applause from the audience.
The three episodes that make up Fawlty Towers the play are ‘Communication Problems’, ‘The Hotel Inspector’ and ‘The Germans.’
The three storylines are seamlessly merged and faithfully delivered to give the fans what they want: A replay of some of Fawlty Towers most iconic lines and unforgettable scenes.
As the Fawlty Towers hotel manages the arrival of various challenging guests, owner / manager Basil Fawlty (Danny Bayne) makes a bet on the horse racing behind wife Sybil's (Mia Austen) back. Driven to a frenzy by the rumour that some hotel inspectors are in Torquay, Basil also has to deal with training waiter Manuel from Barcelona (Hemi Yeroham) while managing a fire drill, and the suspected sighting of a rat in the lounge. When Sybil spends a night in hospital, Basil is left in charge with only part-time staff member Polly (Joanne Clifton) on side to help. And then a group of German guests arrive... Whatever you do; don't mention the war!
Director Caroline Jay Ranger oversees the clever, complex comedy ensuring that every scene of Cleese's tight script is expertly timed and choreographed so that we never lose sight of the story, the players, nor the gags. Recycled they may be, but they're still hilarious. Familiarity does not dilute the enjoyment here.
Superb, nostalgic entertainment
Ranger extracts uncanny performances from her cast who emulate the accents, mannerisms and quirks of the originals exquisitely. Danny Bayne's incompetent, deranged hotel manager Basil Fawlty is unbelievably good. He excels at mimicking the dextrous, physical comedy of John Cleese, and his rage-filled outbursts are simply sublime.
Among a cast of skilled performers and unforgettable characters Jemma Churchill's infuriating Mrs Richards is another highlight. A superbly written character woven throughout the play, her refusal to switch her hearing aid on, and the many outrageous misunderstandings that this causes, are uproarious.
The compact 35-minute-long act two is where the storylines come together with maximum chaos and maximum laughs. It's ridiculous slapstick, but so well done. Perfectly judged and expertly executed, the threads deftly come together in an impressive final scene.
One for fans of the TV show, Fawlty Towers the play doesn't offer anything new, but what it does offer is superb, nostalgic entertainment, sharp writing and unbelievably satisfying performances. Despite knowing what the punchlines would be or what would happen next, I found it completely absorbing, clever and funny. If you know and love the material already, you will not be disappointed to see Fawlty Towers faithfully and expertly recreated in all its glory on stage here. ★★★★☆
Fawlty Towers the play is at the King’s Theatre, Glasgow until Saturday 17 January 2026 and then plays in Aberdeen and Edinburgh before continuing on tour across the UK.
Tickets from ATG tickets here: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/fawlty-towers-the-play/
Fawlty Towers The Play UK Tour Cast
Full cast details here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/fawlty-towers-the-play-cast-news
2026 Theatre Ticket Deals: The ATG January sale
The ATG Tickets January sale includes discounts on 10 shows at Glasgow Kings & Theatre Royal, 12 shows at Edinburgh Playhouse and loads more at 20 venues across the UK.
Comments