{"id":50774,"date":"2024-05-04T12:00:27","date_gmt":"2024-05-04T10:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=2035186"},"modified":"2024-05-04T13:24:09","modified_gmt":"2024-05-04T11:24:09","slug":"john-cleese-weve-kept-the-best-bits-of-fawlty-towers-in-stage-show","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/john-cleese-weve-kept-the-best-bits-of-fawlty-towers-in-stage-show\/","title":{"rendered":"John Cleese: \u2018We\u2019ve kept the best bits of Fawlty Towers in stage show\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fans of the classic ’70s sitcom are in for a treat. <\/p>

By Olivia Garrett\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Saturday, 04 May 2024 at 10:00 AM<\/p>

\n\n

The stage play of Fawlty Towers<\/a> opens later this month, with a brand-new cast ready and waiting to check us in to that iconic hotel in Torquay.<\/p>\n

Basil, Sybil, Polly and Manuel are all returning at the West End\u2019s Apollo Theatre, armed with only the \u201cbest bits\u201d from the original sitcom<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Adapted by the original Basil Fawlty himself, John Cleese, the show is a combination of his three favourite episodes: The Germans, Communication Problems and The Hotel Inspector \u2013 which he fondly dubbed the \u201c Bernard Cribbins<\/a> episode\u201d.<\/p>\n

At a special preview, the Monty Python alumni made it clear that the stories had not been updated in any way since the series\u2019 first run, laughing \u201cthere\u2019s been too much change in the world\u201d.<\/p>\n

But, Cleese caveated, to the RadioTimes.com<\/a> and other press, that he isn\u2019t \u201cprecious\u201d about the show or its characters and loves to see the actors improvise: \u201cWe\u2019ve concentrated on all the best scenes, but the more they perform it the more they\u2019ll relax and start playing with it \u2013 and that\u2019s the joy of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

This was backed up by Adam Jackson-Smith who plays Basil Fawlty. While admitting that the character ranks among some of the best comic roles ever written, he said: \u201cObviously we all have Basil Fawlty in our minds, but I am an actor and not an impersonator.<\/p>\n