John Cleese's Fawlty Towers comes to Leeds Grand an Bradford Alhambra next year - this is when

Casting has been announce for UK and Ireland tour of John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers – The Play which takes in venues in Yorkshire.

The tour follows thesuccessful and critically acclaimed West End run earlier this year.

John Cleese Fawlty Towers - The Play is going on tour and comes to Yorkshire next yearplaceholder image
John Cleese Fawlty Towers - The Play is going on tour and comes to Yorkshire next year

This comedy is directed by originating West End director Caroline Jay Ranger, and stars Danny Bayne as Basil Fawlty, Mia Austen as Sybil, Hemi Yeroham reprising his role as Manuel, Joanne Clifton as Polly, Paul Nicholas reprising his role as the Major and Jemma Churchill as Mrs Richards.

Nearly 50 years since Fawlty Towers was first broadcast on BBC Two on 19 September 1975, comedy legend John Cleese, who originally co-wrote the sitcom with his then wife Connie Booth, has chosen three of his favourite original TV episodes – The Hotel Inspector and The Germans from series one and Communication Problems from series two – and adapted them into a two-hour play, complete with a new finale.

John Cleese said: “I’m thrilled with the top-class group of comedy actors that we've assembled for the UK tour of Fawlty Towers – The Play which begins in September.

"September also marks exactly 50 years since the first ever TV episode was broadcast on the BBC. I never thought that all these years later the stage show would get the reception that it has. But here we are, still making theatres rock with laughter.”

The play also features othercharacters from the original TV sitcom: Mr Hutchinson / Wilhelm played by Greg Haiste; Miss Tibbs played by Emily Winter; Miss Gatsby played by Dawn Buckland; Mr Thurston / Günter played by John Hasler; Mr Walt played by Adam Elliott; Taxi Driver/ Mr Firkins / Mr Kerr / Mr Sharp played by Neil Stewart; and Johanna and Liz (Hotel Guest) played by Josie Brightwell. Completing the company of players are Ashleigh Harvey playing Debbie (Hotel Guest), Ben Jacobson playing Ken (Hotel Guest), Matthew Gordon playing Mr Dale (Hotel Guest) and Raymond Rose playing Philip (Hotel Guest).

Following a tip off that hotel inspectors may be visiting and eager to impress, Basil attempts to ingratiate himself with guests that he suspects are there to critique the establishment. The situation is further plagued by a party of Germans, the deaf and dotty guest-from-hell, Mrs Richards, whose infuriating complaints prevent him from hiding a gambling win from his ever vigilant and bossy wife, Sybil. Together they run their hotel with a little help from the unflappable Polly, and very little help at all from Manuel, the trainee waiter from Barcelona who is the butt of Fawlty’s frustration.

Set in a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay, only 12 half hour episodes of the original BBC comedy were ever made. Based on a real-life hotel owner, Donald Sinclair. John Cleese came up with the idea for the character Basil Fawlty when he stayed at Sinclair’s Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay and became fascinated with his incredibly rude behaviour.

The tV show won many awards and plaudits, including two BAFTAS for Best Situation Comedy and in 2000 it was voted the best British programme of all time in a British Film Institute poll.

The tour stops at Leeds Grand Theatre from January 6 to 10 and Bradford Alhambra from March 24 to March 28.

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