Fawlty Towers – The Play comes to Milton Keynes Theatre this April

The brand‑new stage play, adapted from John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers, comes to Milton Keynes Theatre from Tue 28 Apr - Sat 2 May as part of a new UK tour.

Following two sold out and critically acclaimed West End seasons, John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers – The Play “the funniest show in town” (Daily Express) comes to Milton Keynes Theatre from Tue 28 Apr - Sat 2 May as part of a new UK tour.

This “as good as comedy gets” production (Sunday Times) – which first opened in May 2024 to a host of rave reviews - 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.  

50 years since Fawlty Towers was first broadcast on BBC Two on 19 September 1975, comedy legend John Cleese, who originally co-wrote the “greatest British sitcom of all time” (Radio Times) with 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.” 

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 iconic 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.   

Written by John Cleese & Connie Booth  

Adapted for the stage by John Cleese 

Book your tickets now at ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes.