Review: The Madcap Comedy Of Britain's Favourite Worst Hotel Comes To Life In The World Premiere Of FAWLTY TOWERS LIVE.

Saturday 20th August 2016, Roslyn Packer Theatre, Walsh Bay

The much loved British Television Series is given a new life in John Cleese's stage adaptation of FAWLTY TOWERS LIVE. Drawing on the popular comedy that originally screened between 1975 and 1979 and had countless re-runs world wide, memorable storylines are intertwined to delight fans.

Originally written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, Cleese has returned to the stories almost 40 years later to reconstruct the magic and mayhem on stage. He has drawn on three of his favourite episodes, out of the mere 12 produced, to take audiences down memory lane as they recognise the situations and the characters even if they are interwoven into one larger storyline. Director Caroline Jay Ranger has taken Cleese's script and recreated the fictional Torquay hotel with a wonderful accuracy and creativity to ensure the various spaces where the fabulous stories unfold are able to be seen by the full audience. Set and costume designer Liz Ascroft is on point with the reception desk and office which sees many conflicts and laboured gossipy phone-calls between Sybil and her sister, the dining room that is home to many service failures, and an upstairs single bedroom to enable scenes like Mrs Richards complaining about the bath and the view to play out. Ascroft incorporates the famous façade and sign, complete allusions to the mischievous paperboy. The costumes are accurate and aide in instant recognition and special mention must go to the wig department for Sybil's bi-tonal bouffant.

Stepping into the daunting shoes of Basil Fawlty, Stephen Hall captures Cleese's iconic mannerisms well, ensuring that they are noticeable from the back of the auditorium, a challenge not faced by the original television series. He recreates Basil's deliberateness and obnoxiousness as Britain's worst hotelier proceeds to insult guests and belittle staff. The only concern is the maintenance of the accent, which for the most part mimic's Cleese's portrayal but does drift to a more relaxed tone with hints of Australian coming through.

Blazey Best takes on the role of Sybil Fawlty, made famous by Prunella Scales. Aided by the flamboyant costuming and enormous wig, Best recreates Sybil's tottering physicality as she trots around in heels or languishes over the counter while on the phone. Vocally she produces a fair reproduction of Scales' authoritarian vocal leash tugging that has Basil terrified of her but her deeper tone loses some of the bite.

As bumbling Barcelona born Manuel, Syd Brisbane captures his physicality in the bow legged scampering to avoid another beating at the hands of Mr Fawlty. He captures Manuel's innocence and desire to be helpful with an eagerness and interest even if there is a persistent language barrier that is handled in an incredibly non-politically correct tone, characteristic of the era the work was written.

Stand out of the principle cast is Aimee Horne's Polly Shearman, the intelligent maid and waitress that holds the whole operation together. Horne has a beautiful physicality as she recreates the practical, quick thinking employee originally created by Connie Booth. Vocally she captures Polly's clear language with a steadiness and control as she often helps smooth things over, covers for Basil and interprets for Manuel and physically, she is the most like the original of the core characters.

Of the ensemble of various guests, Deborah Kennedy's portral of the demanding, somewhat deaf Mrs Richards is priceless. Paul Bertram captures the doddering forgetful Major with a physical and a vocal pace that makes the Major easily recognisable.

Obscure casting comes in the form of Ana Maria Belo as Miss Tibbs and Anna Lee as Miss Gatsby. Both characters are portrayed as old and somewhat frail as they move hunchbacked through the hotel but it is clear that these two performers are far from old and doddery as their costuming and dialogue would imply.

Overall, FAWLTY TOWERS LIVE is a fabulous trip down memory lane for those that may remember the original screenings and those that only know the work from countless re-runs.

FAWLTY TOWERS

Sydney: Roslyn Packer Theatre - From 18 August 2016

Melbourne: Comedy Theatre - From 21 September 2016

Adelaide: Her Majesty's Theatre - From 26 October 2016

Perth: Regal Theatre - From 17 November 2015

Brisbane: Playhouse, QPAC - From 28 December 2016

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