May 2nd 2024.
John Cleese has been busy adapting the beloved TV show Fawlty Towers for a new stage production in the West End. As the show celebrates its 50th anniversary, it has been given new life with a fresh cast and a familiar face - John himself, the original creator and writer of the iconic character Basil Fawlty.
With the help of director Caroline Jay Ranger, John has merged three fan-favorite episodes - The Hotel Inspector, The Germans, and Communication Problems - into a play with a brand new finale. At the press opening for the play, which is premiering at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, John expressed his appreciation for the enduring love for the TV series.
Although the show has faced some criticism in recent years for its use of racial slurs, John believes that it is Basil's character that keeps the show popular even now. He even went on to describe Basil as a "lower-middle class" figure, drawing from his own experiences growing up in Weston-super-Mare.
"They weren't middle-middle class, and the fact that those people always think it's a terrible loss of face to be angry," John explained. "That's the rather sad thing about our culture now, we've been affected by the American view that if you're not rich or famous, you're a bit of a failure."
But for John, the success of the show lies in the quality of the farce and the actors' ability to play their roles. He believes that the key to Basil's humor is his constant state of repressed rage, as he tries to keep up with the Joneses and maintain a polite facade.
However, in adapting the show for a modern audience, John and the team have made some changes. They have removed a scene containing racial slurs and have had to navigate the challenge of dealing with literal-minded viewers who may not understand irony or exaggeration in comedy.
During a sneak preview of two scenes from the play, it becomes clear that the stage adaptation stays true to the TV show's chaotic energy and physical comedy. However, as the show was originally created over 70 years ago, some of the jokes may seem dated to modern audiences. But for John, the enduring appeal of Fawlty Towers lies in the relatable hilarity of things going wrong, rather than divisive jokes.
As the play is set to debut in June, John is confident that by then, the team will have figured out where the laughs are and the audience will be in for a treat. He encourages viewers to sit in the middle of the stalls for the best view of all the action on stage.
In the end, for John, the success of the show comes down to the actors' ability to play with their roles and bring the farce to life. And as for the state of comedy on TV today, John believes that the constant changes and anxieties in society may be contributing to a shift in humor.
But for now, he's focused on bringing Fawlty Towers to the West End stage and entertaining audiences with its timeless comedy. And for anyone with a celebrity story or pictures, The Agency entertainment team would love to hear from you. Just email, call, or visit their Submit Stuff page.
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