Presented by Phil McIntyre Live
DIRECT FROM THE WEST END THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION OF
JOHN CLEESE’S
FAWLTY TOWERS – THE PLAY
WILL TOUR THE UK & IRELAND IN 2025/2026
SEPTEMBER 2025 – JULY 2026
TICKETS GO ON SALE ON 2 DECEMBER 2024 AT 10.00AM FROM FAWLTYTOWERSTOUR.CO.UK
Currently playing to sold-out houses at London’s Apollo Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue, John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers – The Play, today announces a major theatre tour for 2025 and 2026.
Following the hugely successful West End run – which has seen the show extend twice – “the funniest show in town” (Daily Express) will embark on the 10-month tour across the UK and Ireland on 30 September 2025 through to July 2026. Tickets go on sale on 2 December 2024 from FawltyTowersTour.co.uk.
Based on three of the original BBC TV episodes of the “greatest British sitcom of all time” (Radio Times), Fawlty Towers – The Play has been adapted for the stage by original co-creator John Cleese into a two-hour play, complete with a new finale. Casting will be announced in due course.
Theatre goers across the country are in for a treat as this “comedy masterpiece makes a seamless transition to the stage” (The Arts Desk) to deliver “an indisputably funny evening” (Daily Telegraph), as “from the moment Basil walks on stage, the audience start laughing” (Daily Mail) whilst watching “some of the best punchlines ever written” (London Theatre). To quote Broadway World; “if you loved the original TV series, you will adore this show”.
Directed by the West End originating director, Caroline Jay Ranger, this “as good as it gets” production (Sunday Times) will visit major towns and cities across the UK and Ireland: Eastbourne, Bournemouth, Wimbledon, High Wycombe, Manchester, Liverpool, Northampton, Southend, Plymouth, Guildford, Leeds, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Sunderland, Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Southampton, Ipswich, Birmingham, Bradford, Blackpool, Torquay, Truro, Milton Keynes, Llandudno, Hull, York, Woking, Nottingham, Norwich, Cardiff, Newcastle, Dartford and Oxford.
John Cleese said: “When we came up with the idea of bringing Fawlty Towers to the stage, I never thought it would get the reception that it has. On 23 December it will be 50 years to the day since we recorded the pilot at BBC Television Centre and I’m delighted that the audiences we’ve had in the West End still think it’s as funny as ever. The announcement of the tour means many more people will now have the chance to laugh themselves helpless.”
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.
Fawlty Towers was first broadcast on BBC Two on 19 September 1975. The iconic TV show went on to win 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. Set in a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay, just 12 half hour episodes of the iconic comedy were made.
The sitcom is 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.
Creative Team:
Written by John Cleese & Connie Booth
Adapted for the stage by John Cleese
Directed by Caroline Jay Ranger
Set and Costume Designer – Liz Ascroft
Lighting Designer – Ian Scott
Casting Director – Anne Vosser
Assistant Director – Denise Ranger
LISTINGS INFORMATION
Website: FawltyTowersTour.co.uk
Instagram: @FawltyTowersWestEnd
Facebook: @FawltyTowersWestend
X: @FawltyTowersWE
Performance Times
Tuesday – Saturday: 7:30pm Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday: 2:30pm
DATE VENUE
30 September – 4 October Churchill Theatre, Bromley
07 – 11 October Eastbourne Congress Theatre
14 – 18 October Bournemouth Pavilion
21 – 25 October New Wimbledon Theatre
28 October – 1 November Wycombe Swan Theatre
04 – 08 November Manchester Opera House
11 – 15 November Liverpool Empire
18 – 22 November Northampton Royal & Derngate
25 – 29 November Southend Cliffs Pavilion
02 – 06 November Theatre Royal Plymouth On sale soon
09 – 20 November Guildford G Live
2026
06 – 10 January Leeds Grand Theatre
13 – 17 January King’s Theatre, Glasgow
20 – 24 January Aberdeen Music Hall
27 – 31 January Edinburgh Playhouse
03 – 07 February Sunderland Empire
10 – 21 February Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
24 – 28 February Regent Theatre, Stoke
03 – 07 March Southampton Mayflower On sale 6 December
10 – 14 March Ipswich Regent Theatre
17 – 21 March Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre
24 – 28 March Bradford Alhambra Theatre On sale 6 December
31 March – 4 April Blackpool Opera House
14 – 18 April Princess Theatre, Torquay
21 – 25 April Truro Hall for Cornwall On sale 20 January
28 April – 02 May Milton Keynes Theatre
05 – 09 May Llandudno Venue Cymru
12 – 16 May Hull New Theatre
19 – 23 May Grand Opera House, York
26 – 30 May New Victoria Theatre, Woking
02 – 06 June Theatre Royal, Nottingham On sale 9 December
09 – 13 June Norwich Theatre Royal On sale 20 December
23 – 27 June Cardiff Wales Millenium Centre On sale 6 December
30 June – 4 July Newcastle Theatre Royal On sale 9 December
07 – 11 July Orchard Theatre, Dartford On sale 3 December
14 – 18 July New Theatre, Oxford