Fawlty Towers Live

Fawlty Towers has been reborn, 40 years after it first aired on BBC2. Fawlty Towers Live is a collection of the very best parts of the original 12-part series, distilled down and weaved together into an uproarious two-hour performance adapted by John Cleese himself.

If you've ever watched the series or come across any of Monty Python's works, you'll know what you're in for. There's sharp British humour, memorable characters preying on timeless sitcom stereotypes, and expert physicality as the characters scurry around managing what is probably the worst hotel in Britain.

The cast is perfect. Stephen Hall channels John Cleese to an almost eerie extent as the hopeless, grandstanding proprietor Basil Fawlty, while Blazey Best excels as Sybil Fawlty, his critical, appearance-obsessed wife. Mixed in among the absurd string of guests are Syd Brisbane as faithful bellhop Manuel, who's from Barcelona and doesn't speak much English, much to Basil's chagrin.

Director Caroline Jay Ranger has done an incredible job taking what is basically a string of unconnected, episodic incidents and bringing them together to form a cohesive narrative, set on a stage encompassing all the second-rate interior spaces from the original. Whether you're a returning fan, a John Cleese enthusiast, or merely out for a laugh, Fawlty Towers Live offers an unforgettable and endlessly hilarious night.