Fawlty Towers: The Play delights packed audiences at Venue Cymru

The 90-minute show, a selection box of some of the best elements of the most memorable episodes of 1970s sitcom Fawlty Towers, made the lively audience immediately welcome.

The hugely popular television series, while familiar to many, took on a wilder, chaotic, frantic feel in this stage play version from its creator and Monty Python legend John Cleese.

And why wouldn't it with Cleese and original co-writer and ex-wife Connie Booth drawing inspiration from classic French Farce dating back to the seventeenth century.

This theatrical genre, famous for its use of comedic use of highly improbable situations, extravagant and exaggerated movement and stereotyped characters, thrilled theatergoers around the world.

(Image: Echo)

Cleese, or at least a disembodied version of him, made something of a cameo appearance at the beginning of proceedings, issuing watchers at Venue Cymru with a firm warning that mobile phones were not permitted to be used.

After our somewhat stern talking to it was on with the show, and what a fabulously fun frolic it was.

It's production design lovingly recreated sets from the TV show, including the dining room, bedrooms, and reception, immediately igniting a warm glow of nostalgia and transporting you to the much-loved haphazard hotel.

Inhabiting these incredibly detailed surroundings was its fantastically talented cast.

Each embodied their classic television character role, not by way of an impersonation, more a homage to the source material and characters while enriching the dialogue and bringing the many incredible set pieces to life.

Danny Bayne was outstanding as our purveyor of bad manners, Basil Fawlty, complete with a never-ending stream of sarcastic quips and put-downs.

His command of the stage and superlative use of physical humor, highlighted best by his Nazi goose-stepping in front of his German guests, was something to marvel at.

His horseplay and, let’s be honest, persistent physical abuse, of Barcelona-born waiter Manuel, lovingly played by Hemi Yeroham, was also perfection.

(Image: hugo glendinning)

Mia Austin proved endearing as the all-seeing, all-knowing Sybil Fawlty, complete with a drain-like laugh, while Joanne Clifton was superb as calm and collected maid come girl Friday Polly Sherman.

• Fawlty Towers: The Play is at Venue Cymru until Saturday May 9.
  For tickets visit www.venuecymru.co.uk or call the box office on 01492 872000.

Neil Stewart, standing in for 80s TV star Paul Nicholas, was on point as the bumbling, madcap Major.

Other cast members gave polished performances as Mr Hutchinson, our spoons' sales assistant (Greg Haiste), hard-of-hearing Mrs Richards (Jemma Churchill), outboard motorman

Mr Walt (Adam Elliot), and Emily Winter and Dawn Buckland as erstwhile Mrs Tibbs and Miss Gatsby.

Let us not forget Mr Firkins and Mr Sharp, played by Mathew Gordon, or our German friends played with aplomb by Greg Haiste, John Hasler and Josie Brightwell.

The 18-strong group of players taught us how to lovingly rework a classic for today’s audiences.

This re-imagining as a crowd-pleasing farcical comedy for all the family worked like a dream.

Why not book yourself in for a night to see this wonderful production guaranteed to reawaken your love of the show and Basil's unique take on hospitality, which has perhaps unfairly become a byword for bad service but is sure to have you snorting and guffawing for weeks and even years to come.