★★★★★ Fawlty Towers – The Play | Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent A riotous, brilliant evening that transported a packed house straight back to 1970s Torquay
What a Tuesday night. If you ever needed proof that great comedy is truly timeless, Fawlty Towers – The Play at Stoke’s Regent Theatre provided it in abundance — and then some.
The production cleverly weaves together moments from across John Cleese and Connie Booth’s original twelve episodes — the genius duo behind the original Basil and Polly — into two wonderfully crafted acts. Act One set the scene beautifully, picking up on classic storylines including the magnificently infuriating Mrs Richards, the profoundly deaf guest who steadfastly refuses to switch her hearing aid on, and the gloriously chaotic Hotel Inspectors episode. Familiar? Yes. But the jokes, whilst fundamentally the same at their core, have been cleverly intertwined with newer, fresher moments that feel entirely of a piece with the originals.
Act Two, though, was an absolute triumph. Incorporating a trip to the hospital for an ingrown toenail removal, Basil being struck on the head and rendered even more concussed and deranged than usual, and building to the most famous episode of them all — The Germans — it was comedy gold from start to finish. The packed house at the Regent was rolling in the aisles, and I say that without a hint of exaggeration. Tears were streaming down my face for the majority of the play, and the laughter around me was constant and genuine.
The casting is quite simply excellent. Danny Bayne as Basil is sensational — capturing every ounce of the character’s pomposity, exasperation, and barely suppressed fury whilst making it entirely his own. Mia Austin as Sybil is pitch perfect, that legendary laugh landing every single time. Joanne Clifton is a wonderfully spirited Polly, and Hemi Yeroham as Manuel is an absolute joy — the physical comedy between him and Bayne is worth the ticket price alone. Special mention must go to the entire ensemble cast, not a single weak link among them.
The set deserves its own round of applause. Recreating the hotel’s reception, restaurant, staircase and a visible upstairs bedroom with tremendous detail, it genuinely transports you back to 1970s Torquay — that particular brand of seaside naffness that those of us old enough to remember the era will recall with fond, slightly pained recognition. And of course, the famous moose head makes its appearance, causing Basil the sort of head injury that only makes him dafter than he already is.
I took my son along for the evening, curious to get a younger perspective on a show I remember from the original television run. His verdict? Every bit as impressed as I was. Despite having encountered Fawlty Towers over the years, the jokes, the characters, the performances and that wonderfully observed 1970s hospitality felt completely fresh to him — as fresh as a daisy, you might say. That is perhaps the greatest compliment you can pay this production: it works just as brilliantly for a first-time audience as it does for those of us who can quote the originals word for word.
The physical comedy is superb throughout — fast, sharp and brilliantly timed, woven seamlessly into the witty, rapid-fire dialogue. If you are, like me, a sucker for the glorious tradition of slipping-on-a-banana-skin humour elevated to an art form, you will be in absolute heaven. You will leave the Regent with an aching stomach, a face-splitting grin, and a very warm heart. Exactly what is needed on a Tuesday night in February.
This tour is an absolute must-see and one of the finest productions I have seen at the Regent Theatre. Highly, highly recommended — just be warned that by the interval, Fawlty Towers has a tendency to become Farty Towels. You’ll understand when you get there.
Reviewed Tuesday 25th February 2026, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent
