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BrumHour saw Fawlty Towers at the invite of The Alexandra.
For Brum Radio’s Interval Theatre, Danny Bayne and Mia Austen talked about playing the Fawltys in Fawlty Towers The Play on its UK tour. Listen below:
By Dave Massey
Fawlty Towers – The Play at The Alexandra: Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐Absurd and Charming
Directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, adapted for the stage by John Cleese
Three episodes of the much-loved sitcom are given the stage treatment as Fawlty Towers arrives in Birmingham as a play. The Hotel Inspectors, Communication Problems and The Germans are all blended into one ninty-minute production (plus interval).
Danny Bayne (Basil), Mia Austen (Sybil), Hemi Yeroham (Manuel) and Joanne Clifton (Polly) all embody their roles with handpicked skill. The detail is right there in the voices and movements from Joanne Clifton’s vocal work is evident, as is Danny Bayne’s movment choreography.
The blending of the three episodes is particularly fun, and the absurd humour isn’t lost through this adaptation. It’s fun and a snapshot of its time. There are plenty of stereotypes that feel quite dated. But at the same time, it feels authentic.
The set is one large static set featuring a bedroom, the reception, and the dining room of the hotel. The transitions are skilled and very swift as a result. The costumes feel particularly authentic to the time.
This production is certainly worth a look if you can get tickets. Absurd and Charming Fawlty Towers is at The Alexandra until 21st March 2026. Book tickets here: atgtickets.com/shows/fawlty-towers-the-play/the-alexandra-theatre-birmingham.
