FAWLTY TOWERS - THE PLAY Will Embark on UK Tour

Currently playing to sold-out houses at London’s Apollo Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue, John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers – The Play will embark on a major theatre tour for 2025 and 2026.  

Following the hugely successful West End run – which has seen the show extend twice - the show will embark on the 10-month tour across the UK and Ireland on 30 September 2025 through to July 2026. Tickets go on sale on 2 December 2024. 

Based on three of the original BBC TV episodes of the “greatest British sitcom of all time” (Radio Times), Fawlty Towers – The Play has been adapted for the stage by original co-creator John Cleese into a two-hour play, complete with a new finale. Casting will be announced in due course. 

Directed by the West End originating director, Caroline Jay Ranger, this “as good as it gets” production (Sunday Times) will visit major towns and cities across the UK and Ireland: Eastbourne, Bournemouth, Wimbledon, High Wycombe, Manchester, Liverpool, Northampton, Southend, Plymouth, Guildford, Leeds, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Sunderland, Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Southampton, Ipswich, Birmingham, Bradford, Blackpool, Torquay, Truro, Milton Keynes, Llandudno, Hull, York, Woking, Nottingham, Norwich, Cardiff, Newcastle, Dartford and Oxford.

John Cleese said: “When we came up with the idea of bringing Fawlty Towers to the stage, I never thought it would get the reception that it has. On 23 December it will be 50 years to the day since we recorded the pilot at BBC Television Centre and I’m delighted that the audiences we’ve had in the West End still think it’s as funny as ever. The announcement of the tour means many more people will now have the chance to laugh themselves helpless.”

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.

Fawlty Towers was first broadcast on BBC Two on 19 September 1975. The iconic TV show went on to win 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. Set in a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay, just 12 half hour episodes of the iconic comedy were made.

The sitcom is 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.

Tour Dates

2025

30 September – 4 October
Churchill Theatre, Bromley

7 – 11 October
Eastbourne Congress Theatre

14 – 18 October
Bournemouth Pavilion

21 – 25 October
New Wimbledon Theatre

28 October – 1 November
Wycombe Swan Theatre

4 – 8 November
Manchester Opera House

11 – 15 November
Liverpool Empire

18 – 22 November
Northampton Royal & Derngate

25 – 29 November
Southend Cliffs Pavilion

2 – 6 December
Theatre Royal, Plymouth (On sale soon)

9 – 20 December
Guildford G Live

2026

6 – 10 January
Leeds Grand Theatre

13 – 17 January
King’s Theatre, Glasgow

20 – 24 January
Aberdeen Music Hall

27 – 31 January
Edinburgh Playhouse

3 – 7 February
Sunderland Empire

10 – 21 February
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

24 – 28 February
Regent Theatre, Stoke

3 – 7 March
Southampton Mayflower (On sale 6 December)

10 – 14 March
Ipswich Regent Theatre

17 – 21 March
Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre

24 – 28 March
Bradford Alhambra Theatre (On sale 6 December)

31 March – 4 April
Blackpool Opera House

14 – 18 April
Princess Theatre, Torquay

21 – 25 April
Truro Hall for Cornwall (On sale 20 January)

28 April – 2 May
Milton Keynes Theatre

5 – 9 May
Llandudno Venue Cymru

12 – 16 May
Hull New Theatre

19 – 23 May
Grand Opera House, York

26 – 30 May
New Victoria Theatre, Woking

2 – 6 June
Theatre Royal, Nottingham (On sale 9 December)

9 – 13 June
Norwich Theatre Royal (On sale 20 December)

23 – 27 June
Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre (On sale 6 December)

30 June – 4 July
Newcastle Theatre Royal (On sale 9 December)

7 – 11 July
Orchard Theatre, Dartford (On sale 3 December)

14 – 18 July
New Theatre, Oxford

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