Fawlty Towers UK stage tour northern dates

John Cleese (centre, rear) with the Fawlty Towers main cast (L-R) Danny Bayne, Mia Austen, Joanne Clifton and Paul Nicholas. Pic: Trevor Leighton

Nearly 50 years since TV comedy Fawlty Towers was first screened, Fawlty Towers - The Play sets out on a UK stage tour this autumn, with northern dates starting at the Manchester Opera House (November 4-8), followed by the Liverpool Empire (November 11-15); Leeds Grand (January 6-10, 2026); Sunderland Empire (February 3-7); Bradford Alhambra (March 24-28); Blackpool Opera House (April 2-4); Venue Cymru, Llandudno (May 5-9); New Theatre, Hull (May 12-16); York Opera House (May 19-23) and Theatre Royal, Newcastle (June 30-July 4).

Set in a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay, only 12 half-hour episodes of the BBC comedy were ever made, based on a real-life hotel owner, Donald Sinclair. John Cleese came up with character Basil Fawlty when he stayed at Sinclair’s Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay and became fascinated with his incredibly rude behaviour.

Cleese wrote the show (thought by many to be the best British sitcom ever) with his then-wife Connie Booth and it won many awards, including two BAFTAS for best situation comedy. In 2000 it was voted the best British programme of all time in a British Film Institute poll.

For the stage version, Cleese picked three of his favourite episodes - The Hotel Inspector, The Germans and Communication Problems - and adapted them into a two-hour play with a new finale. The show's London run prompted rave reviews.

The Fawlty Towers stage tour is directed by the original West End director, Caroline Jay Ranger, with original star Danny Bayne as Fawlty, Mia Austen as his wife Sybil and Hemi Yeroham as Manuel, alongside Joanne Clifton as Polly (played on TV by Connie Booth), Paul Nicholas reprising his role as the Major (but only for 2025 dates) and Jemma Churchill as Mrs Richards.

Cleese said: “I’m thrilled with the top-class group we've assembled for the UK tour, which begins in September - which exactly marks 50 years since the first-ever TV episode was broadcast by the BBC.

"I never thought that all these years later the stage show would get the reception it has. But here we are, still making theatres rock with laughter.”

More info and tickets here