A TALENTED All and Sundry cast rose to the challenge again when the group staged its third instalment of Fawlty Towers.
After two successful outings, John Armstrong and Victoria Vollans returned as Basil and Sybil Fawlty and their performances were near fawlt-less.
The chemistry between the two was impeccable, as was the comedy timing as they tackled the three episodes – A Touch of Class, The Anniversary and Basil The Rat.
In the first Basil has his mind set on finding a better clientele of guest with humorous consequences.
That was a good warm-up for the other two episodes which were the funnier of the three.
The second centred around Basil pretending to have forgotten his and Sybil’s wedding anniversary – then when she storms off, he has to dupe his guests, with the help of Polly, ably played by Anja Parkes, that she is ill in bed.
This, along with the third episode performed, was farce at its best.
As Basil tries to cover one lie after another, you the viewer are with him all the way and willing him to get out of his predicaments.
This has always been a key feature of the popular sitcom but the unfortunate self-created situations were more magnified with it being live theatre. The added an intimacy which made it feel you were living through his dilemmas.
That was – in part – down to the excellent staging which saw the actors not only use the stage but also venture out into the audience.
This was best utilised when Manuel was looking for Basil the rat ahead of the health inspector’s pending visit.
He went searching for the rodent among the crowd and even searched one man’s hair.
Ian Kimberley-Ryan was fantastic in the role of the Spanish waiter and his reactions gained plenty of empathy from those watching.
Other good performances included Bob Wilkes as the doddery old Major we have come to know and love and Damian Dickens who showed his versatility as the Cockney detective in A Touch of Class and posh guest Ronald in Basil the Rat.
Likewise, Ken Messenger was also good in his three roles – the pick of those being as health inspector Mr Carnegie.
On a nice summer British evening, this was classic British comedy at its best and well worth going to see – not least for the climax and that immortal line by Sybil as Basil is carried out by Manuel following the rat discovery during the health inspection:
‘I’m afraid it’s started to rain again’.
That epitomises British summer holidays in seaside towns and brings the curtain down perfectly on this production.
